Alexandria's Christmas Miracle
by fatcatwalker
Summary: Alexandria decides to celebrate Christmas now that things are more settled then ever, but little do they know that the best gift they receive that day, isn't going to be one that is wrapped up.


Notes: It is hard for me to write happy stories, considering it is rare to get a happy moment on the show. I think it has every emotion you can think of in there and I tried to put every part of Christmas in there too. I know people don't normally dance at Christmas, but I really wanted them to have these moments together because they have the opportunity to talk while there dancing. I found it hard to think of presents for each other. I wanted them to be personal and from the heart and its hard to do that when a couple of the characters aren't as close as others on the show. Also for the dancing I don't know that many dance moves, so it was hard to make it different for each pairing. I wasn't sure what to call Maggie's son so I just decided on just that, Maggie's son. Also it has been three years since the war ended. I will be putting tittles to separate each event so the transitions are clearer for the reader.

Alexandria's Christmas Miracle

It was Christmas day, according to the home made calendar they had anyway. It had been about three years since the war ended. Negan and the saviors were dead and most of the walkers were gone in their area, so they rarely had to deal with them, but for safe keeping they always kept there weapons close by and you never know, there could still be crazy people out there. The remaining survivors were, Rick, Michonne, Carl, Enid, Judith, Daryl, Carol, Maggie, Maggie's son, Morgan, Tara, and Aaron.

Everyone wanted to celebrate now that things were more settled then ever. They decided that they would have it at Rick and Michonne's house in Alexandria.

Carol was in the kitchen getting ready to bake some cookies, when Daryl and Rick come in. They see her struggling to open a bag of flour.

"Let me help," Rick says walking toward her.

"It's ok Rick I got it," she says still struggling.

"It's ok Carol, I want to help."

He takes the bag away from her, and she crosses her arms with a frustrated expression on her face. It turns out Rick is struggling too.

"Why won't this thing open?"

"Maybe you're too scrawny," Daryl says as he grabs the bag of flour from Rick.

Daryl tried his best, but it wouldn't open.

"What is wrong with this thing" Daryl asks?

"I don't think it's the bag that's the problem," Rick says with a smile on his face.

Daryl shoots him a look and then tries opening it with his teeth, making growling sounds.

"I always thought you resembled an animal," Rick said laughing.

Daryl stopped with the bag still in his mouth, and gave Rick a look that can kill.

"Let me try again."

Rick grabbed the bag from Daryl's mouth.

Daryl grabbed the bag, and now they were pulling at it back and fourth.

"Let me do it," Rick says.

"Hey guys," Carol says, trying to get a word in.

"What makes you think you can open it scrawny," Daryl says.

Carol tries again.

"You can just use some scis…"

"Stop being so stubborn Daryl."

"You guys, it's going to …"

Before she could finish, the bag ripped open, and flour flew everywhere. Rick and Daryl were covered in flour. Carol started laughing. They both looked at her.

"Not funny," Daryl said, a puff of flour coming from his mouth when he said funny.

"I'm sorry, but it is funny," she said, doubling over with laughter.

Daryl and Rick looked at each other, nodded, smiled, and then looked at Carol with smirks on their faces.

"Don't you dare," Carol says, backing away slowly as they come toward her. "No stop or you won't get any cookies."

"How are you going to bake cookies without any flour?" Daryl asked.

"There's another bag in the cabinet, why don't you boys get it and help me bake them?"

"Good try Carol, Rick said, but we know you too well, this is another one of your acts." "Give it up, you're cornered," Daryl said as they backed her into the counter.

"Got you!" Daryl goes to grab her, but she ducks down and he grabs the air. They both turn around and start chasing her around the kitchen.

"If you guys don't stop, I'm going to take Daryl's crossbow, and shoot you both in the ass with it."

The chase doesn't last long though, because Daryl slips on the flour and falls to the floor. "Oomph."

"Rick! Rick! Stop!" They both yell, but Rick is running to fast to stop and trips over Daryl, falling on top of him.

"Ow!" They both say.

"Fancy seeing you here," Rick jokes.

"Get off me you dumb ass."

He pushes Rick off him, and Rick lies next to him. Carol is laughing hysterically.

"I'm so sorry; let me help you boys up." She bends down and reaches a hand to both of them. They grab her hands.

"We've got you now Carol," Daryl says.

Daryl and Rick look at each other, and then back at Carol.

"No! No! Don't!" She tries to pull away, but they are to strong, and she yells out as she falls on top of them. They scoot over so she can lie in between them.

"Are you ok Carol?" They ask her.

"I'm fine, no thanks to you assholes."

It was quiet for a while, until Rick broke the silence.

"Michonne is going to kill me."

It went silent again, until Carol started laughing, followed by Rick and then Daryl.

"Hey Carol, you're the only one not covered in flour."

"Don't even think about it."

Rick and Daryl scooped up a handful of flour from the floor and she tried to get up, but slipped falling back down and they threw the flour in her face. She laughed.

She took a deep breath, and then when she breathed out a puff of flour flew into the air. "Well that was fun," Carol said with a smile on her face.

She grabbed their hands and said, "ok back to work."

She started to get up, but they held onto her hands. She looked down at them.

"Can you just stay down here for a while? Daryl asked, I'm actually very comfortable down here with you two."

"I agree, Rick said. There is no war, and not enough walkers to worry about."

"Don't mind if I do," she said with a smile, getting back down on the floor with them and grabbing their hands again.

"I like being down here with my boys."

They lay there in the silence not wanting to get up, not even knowing if they would be able to with all the flour on the floor.

"Next time let's just use the scissors," Rick said.

"Well, if you two weren't so busy arguing like little boys, you might have heard me start to say that we should use the scissors, but you two interrupted me."

"Sorry," they both said at the same time.

"Its ok, you can make it up to me. How about you two help me bake some cookies, and this time we will use the scissors."

"First I better clean this up before Michonne walks in."

"Daryl, why don't you help him?"

"Yes maim."

"Thank you," Carol says smiling at him.

Mistletoe

Tara and Aaron were sharing memories about Denise and Eric, when they walked in a doorway, stopped, and looked up at the mistletoe, then back at each other laughing.

"What do you think Tara, just for fun?" Aaron asks.

"Why the hell not, just for fun," Tara said.

They lean in slowly and just inches away from each other, they start laughing.

"This isn't going to work is it Tara," Aaron says.

"No it isn't," Tara said, laughing.

"Ok, I know what to do," Aaron says.

He leans in, this time aiming for Tara's cheek.

"How was that?" Aaron asked.

"Not bad."

"My turn," Tara said.

Aaron closed his eyes, and Tara leaned in, surprising Aaron when she kisses him on the lips, lingering there as if testing the waters. She pulled back slowly and Aaron opened his eyes.

"Wow! Where did that come from Tara?" He asked, laughing.

"I don't know. I felt a little bolder since you had your eyes closed. Was it really that bad Aaron?"

"No, I just wasn't expecting that. All I can say is that, I kissed a girl and I liked it."

"And I kissed a boy and I liked it." They started laughing.

"Never again?" Aaron asked.

"Absolutely not," Tara said laughing. They bumped fists.

Dancing

In the living room there was music playing, but not Christmas, they couldn't find any. Rick and Carol were dancing.

"So, when are you and Daryl going to make it official?"

"What?" She asked laughing.

"Don't play dumb, your one of the smartest woman I know. You're good at fooling people, but I know you too well."

"Ok fine, you got me. I don't know when. I don't want to make the first move. You know him, it's hard to get him to open up, and I might push him away if I'm too forward."

"I've seen him when he's without you, he's a shell of a man, and then when you reunite you can see how much you care about each other."

"What if he doesn't fill the same way? It might ruin our friendship."

"I think that Daryl doesn't know how to show his feelings, and if you don't make the first move, it might never happen."

"I know your right, but how should I approach the situation?"

"Look." He pointed at Daryl, who was standing against the wall, arms crossed, head down.

"He's more depressed than ever. You know him, Rick said, he hates this kind of stuff.

I think he needs you to make him feel better."

"I can't, I'm afraid." They stopped dancing and he grabbed her hands.

"Hey, you're not afraid of anything. You're a badass Carol. Here, let me help you."

He spun her one time, two times, three times, spinning her toward Daryl. By the time she gets to Daryl, she is spun eight times, and is feeling dizzy when Rick lets her go, and pushes her into Daryl's arms. Rick leaves with a big smile on his face.

"Hey," she looks up at him as he holds her, trying to steady her, as she is still feeling dizzy. "Hey, he says back. I see Rick is up to something. Is he bored now that the war is over?"

"I actually think he made some good points," Carol said.

"Oh yeah, what were you two talking about?"

She looked over Daryl's shoulder to Rick with a pleading look.

He smiled at her and mouthed the words go on.

"Daryl would you … Uh … I don't know if maybe you might … Uh …"

"Spit it out woman." She smiled.

"You were always such a sweet talker Daryl."

"Stop." She took a deep breath.

"Will you please dance with me Daryl Dixon?" She reached out her hand and gave him a smile.

"It's about time; I was dyeing of boredom over here." To her surprise, he grabbed both of her hands, put them around his neck, and then wrapped his arms around her, pulling her in and they started to sway to the music. Carol could see Rick. She smiled and mouthed the words thank you. He smiled and winked at her. They swayed and held each other for a while, then pulled back slowly only inches apart.

"So, what were you and Rick talking about over there?"

"Well, uh …" he spun her outward. She was looking at Daryl, prepared to tell him how she feels, when she feels someone's hands in hers. She looks over to see Morgan smiling at her. She looked back at Daryl, who was now looking at Morgan with a don't you dare look on his face.

"Sorry Daryl, but" he spun her in toward him; "I want a turn with her too."

"Whatever," Daryl said with a grunt.

Morgan dipped her and she laughed. Still being dipped, she looked over at Daryl. She gave him a sympathetic look and smiled at him.

"Sorry pookie, you know you're my one and only." He grunted again with a small smile on his face. Morgan brought her back up.

"Are you ok Carol?"

"What do you mean? I'm fine. It's been three years since I've had to kill."

"I know, but the after affects."

"Don't worry about me."

"Hey, your family now, I'm always going to worry about you."

"Well no need really, I'm fine. Speaking of worrying about family, how about you, are you ok?"

"Trying to turn the tables on me?"

"Is it working?" Carol asked.

"No. Besides it's not the same, Morgan said. I killed because I needed to, for Benjamin. You killed for the same reason, but for Glenn and Abraham and if you kill it destroys you inside. It doesn't do that to me." She gave Morgan a yeah right look.

"Ok ok, it affects me too. So, it looks like you and Daryl are closer then ever. Sorry if I interrupted something."

"What makes you think there's something to interrupt."

"Oh come on Carol everyone can see it. I saw Rick try to get you two together. He sees it too."

"Ok yes, I wanted to try to get closer to him and tell him how I feel. Rick helped, and we might have kissed if …"

"I didn't interrupt you;" Morgan finished her sentence for her. He grabbed her hands.

"I'm sorry."

"No don't be, there will be other chances and besides, I'm really enjoying myself here with you," she said smiling.

"Me too Carol."

Rick sees Michonne walking toward him.

"So, what brings you here Michonne," Rick asks as he leans against a table with food on it.

"I saw something tasty over here."

"Oh yeah," he asks moving toward her.

"Yeah." She walks past him and grabs a Christmas cookie shaped like Santa and stands in front of Rick taking a bite of the cookie.

"Yes very tasty. And you're not to bad yourself Rick."

"Ha ha, very funny."

"Here, try some." She puts the cookie to his mouth and he takes a bite.

"Wow, that is good," he says with his mouth full.

"I know something that tastes much; much better," she says getting closer to him until there was little space between them.

"Oh yeah," Rick asked?

"Yeah." They kissed.

"Do you know who made the cookies, I need to thank them?"

"Actually Carol made them and Daryl and I helped."

"You and Daryl baking, I would have loved to see that," she said laughing. "I think I need to thank one of the bakers in a special way."

"Show me how," Rick said.

"Ok, stand right here and watch me work." She saw Daryl standing in a corner.

"Watch carefully while I give Daryl a proper thank you." She started to walk away and Rick grabbed her hand.

"I think you got the wrong baker."

"Oh do I?"

"Yes you do." He leaned in to give her a kiss and she looked over Ricks shoulder.

"Oh there's Carol!"

"Come on Michonne, stop messing with me." Michonne laughed.

"Ok come here." She gave him a kiss.

"And the rest of your thank you will come later."

"I can't wait."

"I'll also thank Daryl and Carol," Michonne said.

"You know, Rick said, if it weren't for there being another bag of flour the cookies might have never been baked, and we would have never had this moment."

"Ok, now you have to tell me what happened Rick."

"Ok, but to make a long story short, basically Carol was having trouble opening a bag of flour and …"

"Let me guess, Michonne interrupted. You two were being a couple of Neanderthals and fighting over who should try opening it, while ignoring what Carol was trying to tell you and then its too late, and the bag of flour explodes all over you two and the kitchen floor." Rick stands there in shock.

"How did you …"

"Carol told me that much and I begged her to tell me the rest, but she thought that you should be the one to tell me, so spit it out!"

"Fine." Michonne was cracking up after he finished.

"Oh my god, that was so funny!"

"Ok, calm yourself, it wasn't that funny."

"I'm sorry Rick;" she said still laughing a little. She took a deep breath.

"Ok, I'm alright now Mr. Flour."

"Get over here," Rick said grabbing her hand and pulling her close to him.

"I guess that makes you Mrs. Flour." They laughed and shared another kiss.

"I have Judith and Carl, and Maggie has her son, so tell me Michonne, when are we going to have a little ass kicker of our own?" Michonne stood there speechless.

"I didn't know, I didn't think you would want more kids."

"I want to have a baby with you. I love my kids, but their not ours, their mine, I want a baby that is ours." Michonne smiled and started crying. He spun her twice, kissing her in between each spin as she laughed.

"Rick Grimes you make me so happy."

"Not as happy as you make me Michonne." They were interrupted by Judith, who was now tugging at Ricks arm.

"I want to dance daddy." He picked her up and she started laughing as he spun her around.

"I'll see you later Rick," Michonne says, winking at him and waving bye to Judith, who smiles and waves back. Rick holds Judith hand and has an arm around her waist and he dips her. She laughs again, as he is spinning her and moving across the dance floor. Then they bump right into Maggie and her son. They all yell out in surprise and start laughing.

"I think I caught you speeding officer Grimes."

"What are you going to do about it?"

'I think I will take little Miss Judith, and show her how to dance without bumping into people."

"Daddies in trouble," Judith laughed.

Maggie handed her son to Rick and said "and you can show my son how not to dance."

"My pleasure." Judith waved bye and blew a kiss to her daddy and he blew one back. Maggie's son blew a kiss to Judith and she blew one back. Michonne saw Daryl. She slowly walked up to Daryl, who was looking depressed.

"So, what's the ladies man doing standing here without a dance partner?"

"Morgan stole Carol from me. What about you, I don't see you dancing with officer friendly or anyone else."

"Rick left me for a younger lady."

"Lady, where?" He asks, looking around. She back hands his chest.

"Ow! What I mean is, all I see is a badass in front of me."

"Yeah, good save," she said with a smile on her face.

"So let me guess, this younger lady, does she have the nickname little ass kicker?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"Well, will you take a redneck asshole instead?"

"Absolutely, if you will take a stubborn badass?"

"Hell yeah!" She laughed, put her arms around his neck, and he put her hands on her waist and they danced in place.

"You need to tell Carol how you feel. She's afraid to tell you how she feels because she thinks you should make the first move; she doesn't want to scare you away."

"I would never leave her, no matter what."

"You have to tell her that," she said as she poked his chest word for word.

"If neither of you speak up then its all for nothing, so get your woman Dixon, before someone else snatches her from you."

"May I cut in;" Carl asks bowing, tipping his hat and putting his hand out for Michonne. "Yes you most definitely may." She grabbed his hand and looked behind her at Daryl as they walked off.

"Don't forget what I told you Daryl," she said pointing at him.

"Yeah, yeah. Alone again." Daryl won't admit it, but he hates being alone now. He needs his family. He feels a hand on his shoulder.

"Not for long your not." He turns around.

"Hey Tara."

"Hey Daryl. You know you'll never be alone again."

"I know, I'm still getting used to it. That reminds me of something Carol told me once, Daryl said, that I would have to get used to the love."

"Speaking of Carol, isn't it about time you two …"

"Yeah, and what makes you think we want to?"

"It's so obvious, the way you are together. Don't take it for granted. I didn't say I love you to Denise after she told me, right before we left for the savior's outpost. Then I left and when I came back she was gone." Tears started to stream down her face. Daryl grabbed his rag from his pocket, and gave it to her.

"Thank you Daryl. You miss her too, don't you Daryl." He nodded his head and looked down.

She put her hand on his chin and lifted his head up. A tear streamed down his face.

"Hey, I think you need this." She held the rag out for him.

"Nah, I'm fine."

"No your not." She reached her hand up and wiped the tear away.

"I just feel like I could have done more to keep her safe. We stayed there too long. If we hadn't yelled at her for risking her life, she might not have tried to convince us that were good people, she might still be alive. If I had …"

"Daryl stop, what ifs will kill you."

"She didn't get to finish what she was saying before she was killed, but I could finish it for her. After she said we were good people, she started to say, and if we don't wake up and face our fears, we'll never truly be able to open up to other people, I think that's what might have been her last words."

"She was right Daryl, you are a good person, she left you with wise words, don't let them go to waste like I did. Tell Carol how you feel, before it's too late." She gave him a kiss on the cheek and a hug.

"Thanks for the rag Daryl." She smiled and they bumped fists. She started to walk away.

"Hey Tara." She turned around.

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"Anytime Daryl." Michonne and Carl were still dancing.

"So, what's up with Daryl?"

"He's a love sick puppy."

"I had a feeling; they have liked each other since before the prison. They have been getting closer ever since. They know how they feel about each other, but they won't tell each other," Carl said.

"If they wont do anything about it then all of us well have to gang up on them and lock them in Morgan's cell together, until they admit how they feel for each other," Michonne said.

"They might just take us down, between the both of them Michonne."

"True." They laughed.

"So, speaking of love sick puppy," Michonne said.

"What?"

"Don't play dumb Carl; have you done the deed yet?"

"Really Michonne!"

"I would like to think of myself as a mother to you."

"Well, F.Y.I. we have not. Can we change the subject now?" Carl asked, blushing a little.

"Fine, but before I let you off the hook, has your father given you the talk yet?"

"Seriously Michonne?"

"Seriously Carl."

"No, I think he'd rather be eaten by a walker." They both laughed.

"Thank you Carl."

"What for?"

"For giving me a chance. If it weren't for you telling your dad that I'm one of you, he might have never accepted me."

"He would have, you two are meant to be, just like Daryl and Carol."

"Also thank you for saving my life Carl. If it weren't for you shooting that walker that attacked me at the prison fence, I might not be here. I can't imagine my life without you, your dad, or Judith."

"Same here and thank you Michonne, for making my dad happy. He's lost so much he needs you Michonne."

"And he has me, and so do you and Judith."

"So, when are you and dad going to give me another sister or a brother?"

"Well, F.Y.I. Carl, we were just talking about it, and I think were ready."

"Cool."

"Now, can we change the subject Carl?"

"Ok ok, I get it."

He dipped Michonne, and his hat fell off, bouncing off of Michonne and on to the floor. Michonne and Carl looked where the hat fell, and they saw a pair of boots with buckles. The owner of the boots picked up the hat and they looked up to see Carol putting on the hat.

"Howdy! I guess I'm the sheriff now." They all laughed. Carl brought Michonne back up.

"Hey Carol," Michonne said. Michonne got close to Carol and whispered in her ear.

"Look at Daryl; he hasn't taken his eyes off you since you put that hat on." They both waved at him and he smiled shyly, blushing a little knowing that Michonne caught him looking. Michonne and Carol turned away and started laughing. Carl walked over to Carol.

"So sheriff, when am I going to get my hat back?"

"Saved by the bell," Carol said smiling at Michonne. Michonne smiled back at her.

"Don't think you've heard the last of me," Michonne smiled as she walked away.

"I'll give you your hat back if you dance with me."

"Hey Michonne," Carl said. She turned to see Carl running toward her and he gave her a hug.

"Thank you," Carl said.

"Right back at you," she said, with a smile on her face. He walked back to Carol.

"I miss Sophia, Carl said, I dream about her sometimes. Do you dream about her?"

"Everyday."

"Sometimes I wonder how she would have been like if she were still alive," Carl said.

"Well all of us have changed from who we were to who we are now. I imagine it would have been the same for her, Carol said. I think she would have been like you Carl, strong brave, and doing whatever you want, no matter what anyone else says. Or, you do things without telling people because you know they'll say no." She gave him a stern look.

"Who told you about Negan?"

"Rick. That was really stupid; you could have gotten yourself killed."

"I don't care, after what he did to Glenn and Abraham; I couldn't wait for dad and the others. I killed two of them."

"And that's the only good thing that came out of it," Carol said, putting his hat back on him. She smiled at him.

"So, tell me about the dreams you have Carl."

"In my dreams she's my age, and we're holding hands, but I can't tell if we're just friends, or more. And were out in the forest fighting walkers, and she always asks me the same question, how's my mom doing, then I wake up. So Carol, how are you doing?"

"I'm better then I used to be. It gets a little better everyday, especially now that I don't have to kill anymore. As for Sophia, it still hurts, but that's getting better everyday too." "Maybe I'll be able to answer her next time, Carl said. What do you dream about?"

"I dream that she finds her way back to the farm. She runs to me and gives me a big hug and were both crying. Then you run up to her and give her a hug and your both laughing. Then Rick comes up to her and apologizes for not being able to protect her and she says you tried your best, I should have stayed put. She hugged him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Then Daryl goes up to her and hugs her, surprising her since they never even talked to each other and she figured he was mad at her for not being more quiet when there could be walkers around and he told me to shut her up, or he would do it for her.

(Deleted scene from season two) Daryl asks Sophia if she's ok. She says she's fine. He tells her we were all so worried about you, I was worried about you he says. I came up to them and told her how Daryl went looking for her on more then one occasion and got injured by one of his own arrows and when he got back he looked so much like a walker, that he got shot for it. He walks back inside and comes back with her doll and says, I think this belongs to you. She grabs it, looks at it, and then looks at Daryl. She hugs him and says, thank you Daryl. He says you're welcome. And then she asks me a question too. Are you and Daryl together? Then I wake up."

"What would you have said?"

"The truth, no," Carol said sadly.

"I think she would have been happy though if you were, just like all of us would be if you ever snap out of it."

"If anyone else says anything about me and Daryl, I'm going to lock them in Morgan's cell! I love you all for caring so much though, seriously."

"Not just caring Carol, we love you guys, and just want to see you happy." She hugged him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. She wiped her tears away.

Maggie walked up to Daryl, who was trying one of the cookies that Carol made.

"Damn these are good!"

"Oh yeah? I want to try one."He turned around to see Maggie. She reached around him to grab a cookie.

"Oh my gosh, your right, these are good," she said with a hand on her mouth.

"Damn straight," Daryl said not covering his mouth and sending little bits of cookie flying out. He finished off by licking his fingers. Maggie started laughing.

"Oh Daryl, don't ever change."

"I wasn't planning on it."

"So, Daryl, do you know how to dance?"

"Why don't you ask Michonne, Tara, and Carol?"

"I think I would like to see for myself. So, let me guess, Carol made the cookies?"

"Yeah, and Rick and I helped. If you want the details, you'll have to ask Carol."

"Sounds like you boys were up to no good and caused her some trouble."

"Something like that."

"I can't wait to hear about it," she said with a big smile on her face.

"I wanted to say sorry about Glenn."

"Daryl stop, you've been apologizing for the last three years, and I'm beginning to sound like you, a broken record. I'm going to say it for the last time, Daryl; it was not your fault."

"Maggie your whole family saved me emotionally and physically. Hershel was like a father to me. He taught me how to be selfless and to care for and help people. He took care of me after I got injured by my own arrow and shot by Andrea. Beth was the complete opposite of me, but she was so strong. She saved me when a walker attacked me after I pulled it off of her, and I treated her like shit. She was right though, I was afraid, I was afraid that my whole family was dead. She never lost hope though, and when we got into a big fight, she finally got it out of me, everything that I've been hiding inside, everything that I've been trying to cover up by taking it out on her. Then when she brought up Sophia, it reminded me of your dad, how I couldn't save either of them."

"You tried Daryl, and that's what matters."

"She broke my walls. After that we got close and she helped me burn down a house that reminded me of the one I used to live in that only had bad memories. It felt like we would be ok, and then we got ambushed, thanks to me. I opened the door thinking it was a dog that had come by earlier, and they all came in. She said she wasn't going to leave me, but I told her to wait for me outside. When I went outside to find her, she was gone and the car was speeding away. I chased the car all night, and then lost it, she was gone. Then we found her, just to loose her again. If I had just let her stay with me, maybe she'd still be here."

"Don't Daryl; this wasn't your fault either. You were trying to keep her safe."

"Glenn taught me to give people a chance, even if you didn't know them. He taught me to not let revenge take over you. If you do, then it will prevent you from being able to protect your family that is still around to protect. He was out in the forest for me. He just wanted me to come home."

"Enough Daryl, don't! Glenn, my daddy, Beth, they wouldn't want you beating yourself up like this. There is nothing that any of us could have done. Do you hear me Daryl Dixon?"

"Loud and clear."

"Good, now what do you say you spin me back over to those cookies."

"Yes maim." He grabs her hand, spins her over there, and he trips on the way, only inches from the table. Rick is standing there in front of the table, about to take a bite of his cookie, when they fall right onto him. He yells out in surprise, and drops the cookie.

They get off him and Rick turns around.

"Sorry Rick, Maggie says. Daryl tripped."

"A little clumsy there Daryl," Rick laughed.

"I never said I can dance dumbass." Rick grabbed another cookie.

"I can't stop eating these, their so good, wouldn't you agree Daryl, that the cookies Carol made are good;" he said teasing Daryl about Carol.

"Yes I do. Smartass." Rick reached over for another cookie.

"Freak'n amazing! Just like her, right Daryl," he said winking at him.

"Whatever," he said walking away. Maggie stifled a laugh, covering her mouth.

"That wasn't very nice sheriff," she says grabbing a cookie.

"He knows I'm just shitting with him, everyone knows there meant to be together. So, how about I show you some good dancing."

Maggie laughs, "what makes you think your any better?"

"Ask Michonne."

"Alright Rick, I'll take you up on your offer, even though you did bump into me and my son when you were dancing with Judith."

"That was different, said Rick. I was spinning her when that happened."

"Ok, then you're saying that Daryl is a good dancer too then, because he was spinning me and he tripped, that doesn't make him a bad dancer Rick."

"No, like I said, just clumsy." He took her hand and they walked to the middle of the dance floor. They swayed from side to side.

"Oh yeah, great moves Mr. Grimes," she said sarcastically.

"Fine then, you asked for it." He spun her twice before dipping her.

"Not bad," she said with a frown on her face. He gave her a look and she started laughing.

"You're good."

"Thanks." He brought her back up.

"I'm sorry, I wish I could have saved Glenn," he said looking down and shaking his head.

"I've heard it from Daryl for years, don't you start now."

"I can't help it, he saved me, but I couldn't save him."

"None of us could, no matter what, this was going to happen. He would have been in that RV with me if he could, so he still would have been in that line up. All we could do was sit there or we knew that one of our family would pay the price. Unfortunately, Daryl blames himself, but he was only trying to protect Rosita."

"It's just who he is," Rick says.

"This is supposed to be a happy occasion, but there are emotions flying everywhere," Maggie says laughing and wiping her tears away.

"I'm sorry, Rick said. I shouldn't have said anything."

"No Rick, were family, you can tell me anything," she says grabbing his hands. "It's not good to keep everything in."

"Thank you."

"Anytime Rick," she said as they started swaying again.

Rick sees Aaron coming their way.

"I think someone's going to still you away from me," he says in a low voice.

"Who," asks Maggie? He turns while their still swaying so she can see.

"Hey Aaron," she says with a big smile on her face.

"May I have this dance?"

"Yes you may."

"Sorry Rick," Aaron says.

"No worries. Have fun Aaron."

"He looks so much like Glenn," Aaron says.

"I know, I get to see Glenn everyday.

Thank you for coming with me to the hill top. I never really told you, but I really appreciated it. Also, carrying me on the stretcher, you could have just stayed home with Eric; instead you suffered with the rest of us."

"I owed you."

"It could have been you who died, and all because you felt like you owed me."

"What I went through was nothing compared to you. If Eric had died like that, instead of in my arms after he got bitten, I don't know what I would have done." He started tearing up and she gave him a hug. "You were worth it, all of it. And it wasn't only because I owed you, you're my family."

"And your mine." They hugged again.

Tara came up to them.

"Hi."

"Hi Tara," they both said.

"Is it ok if I still Aaron?"

"He's all yours." Aaron and Maggie waved bye to each other as she walked away.

"You want to dance," Tara asked?

"Sure."

"It's so beautiful," Tara said.

"Yes it is. Enid and Maggie found some decorations in a box in the attic and went all out decorating the place, Aaron said. The only thing missing is a Christmas tree."

"I wasn't talking about the decorations."

"What?"

"Look around you. Everyone's laughing, dancing, and happy."

"It really is beautiful," said Aaron as he took everyone in.

Morgan and Carol were laughing, Michonne and Rick were in a corner getting as close as possible to each other, Rick whispering something in her ear that is making her laugh,

Enid was laughing as Carl placed his hat on her head, Maggie was spinning her son around as he laughed, and Judith was sharing a cookie with Daryl, Judith putting the cookie to his mouth and he bites down on it, making exaggerated chomping sounds as she laughed.

"Isn't it unbelievable how strangers can become family," she asked?

Aaron smiles and says yes. He is looking at Tara, who is still looking into the crowd. She looks back at Aaron to see him smiling at her. She smiles back.

"Right back at you Aaron," she says knowing what he meant, and gave him a hug. "Speaking of family, I miss Glenn. He was my best friend. He saved my life. I was just waiting to die at the prison. I thought I deserved to die. He forgave me, and when he reunited with Maggie and his family he said that he found me on the road and I helped him and so, he gave me his family in the process. And you Aaron, you gave us your family. You gave me Denise, and I will always be grateful for that." He wiped a tear from her face.

"No crying allowed, there's too much happiness around here to be sad."

"I know.'' He hugged her. Maggie walked up to Carl and Enid.

"Hey Enid, would you mind if I take Carl from you for a minute?"

"Here, you can keep him."

"Ha ha, very funny." She smiled at him.

"So Carl, your dad knows how to dance. Did he teach you any moves?"

"My dad knows how to dance? I always pictured him tripping over his feet."

She laughed. "No, he's actually pretty good, so what do you say we see if you inherited more then his good looks?" He spun her around twice, and then dipped her.

"Were you watching us earlier," she asked, still in the dipped position.

"Yeah, but just because I watched, doesn't mean I would be good. I could drop you right now." He pretended to drop her by lowering her further toward the floor. She yelled out and started laughing. Carl brought her back up.

"I never thanked you for bringing Judith into the world. I know you didn't think you could do it, but you did, and I also know that it was hard on you Maggie."

"Not as hard as what you had to do Carl, you were so brave Carl."

"So were you Maggie."

"Something beautiful came from all that heartache that day," Maggie said.

They both were tearing up a little.

"I miss Hershel, Beth, and Glenn. Hershel saved my life, and I tried to take revenge for Glenn on my own, but I realize now, that nobody can make it on their own now,

weather it's because of walkers or people. I remember overhearing Glenn say to Daryl, we can make it, but we can only make it together. He was right."

"I remember when you had a crush on Beth. It was so cute."

"I don't know what I was thinking." Maggie shot him a look.

"No, don't get me wrong, she was beautiful, but she was too old for me. I guess you

can say I was sort of lonely, not having anyone my age."

"Then we found Alexandria and you found Enid," Maggie said. They started laughing at the irony of it.

"Speaking of Enid, what do you say I dance you over to her?"

"I'd say that sounds great!" When they got to Enid she had a big smile on her face.

"So I see you can dance, why don't you show me some of those moves?"

"Don't mind if I do. See ya Maggie."

"See ya Carl."

Carl dipped Enid. "Wow, very impressive. You know after you locked me in that closet and I was finally let out by Gabriel, I was left to sit there and dwell on weather or not you would make it back. Then I tried to imagine my life without you and I couldn't. Then you came back and I was so relieved and happy, but also devastated to find that Glenn died. He was like a brother to me. Then I realized that could have been you."

"It wasn't though Carl said. I'm fine, I'm here." He grabbed her hand and put it on his face. "See." She took a deep breath. A tear fell down her cheek and he wiped it away with his other hand. He leaned in and gave her a kiss.

"I love you Enid."

"I love you too Carl." He hugged her and gave her a kiss on the side of her head.

"You'll never have to worry about me leaving you ever again," he whispered in her ear.

Mistletoe

Morgan was talking to Carol about how much she and Daryl belong together.

"I swear, I'm going to lock you up in your own cell."

"Uh, Carol."

"What Morgan," she said irritated. He stopped her and pointed up.

"Mistletoe? You're shitting me right?"

"It's Christmas, come on Carol. It only happens once a year."

"Fine, so who's kissing who?" Morgan answers her by grabbing her and dipping her again. She laughs at the unexpected move, getting Daryl's attention. Morgan gives her a peck on the lips and brings her back up.

"I think someone was watching," Morgan says.

"What?" Morgan grabs her by the shoulders, and turns her in his direction. She sees Daryl pacing back and fourth with his arms crossed.

"Why don't you go over there and put him out of his misery."

"I don't feel like it's the right time."

"It's never going to feel like the right time. You need to just do it."

"Would everyone stop pushing me?"

"We just want you two to be happy."

"I know, that's what Carl said too, and I know that, but it makes me more nervous knowing that everyone's waiting for it."

"I'll spread the word to give you more space."

"Thank you Morgan."

Rick and Michonne In The Attic

Rick and Michonne went up to the attic to see if they can find some lights for the tree there going to chop down. They had never even checked out the attic until today.

Michonne found the box that was supposed to be empty from Maggie and Enid's search, but there was something they missed. Michonne looked in the box and started laughing, as she pulled out a Mrs. Clause costume. Rick turned around to see the skimpy little dress made of velvet, with fur trim, short sleeves, a black belt, and a fur trim hood. Rick stood there bright eyed and a big smile on his face.

"Wow, please tell me you're going to put that on."

"Only if you wear this," she said holding up something else that was in the box. His smile was gone and he had a scared look on his face.

"No, absolutely not," he said as she moved forward until she backed him into a wall.

"If you don't wear this, then I don't wear that, she said inches away from him, and you don't get any thing tonight," she whispered in his ear. "On the other hand, if you do this for me I'll wear the Mrs. Clause suit tonight, and you can open your present, and then I could open mine."

"Fine, give me that thing." He pulled it away from her and she gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"Thank you Rick."

"Anything for you."

"Yeah, after I have you cornered."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

He pulled her to him, she laughed, and they shared a kiss.

"You put it on first, and then I'll put mine on," Rick said.

"Ok, turn around though so I can surprise you." She finished changing.

"You can turn around now."

"Wow! You look so sexy Michonne." He walks toward her slowly as she spins around. "You like."

"Very much," he says coming closer. He was about to grab her and kiss her, but instead she shoved the Santa suit at him, and he grunted at the force of it.

"Not so fast buddy! Put this on." The suit came complete with belt boots and a beard.

"Fine, but you have to turn around too."

"Get a move on Grimes." He smiled at her. He finished changing.

"Alright Michonne." Michonne couldn't help it, she started laughing.

"I'm so sorry Rick, you just look so adorable."

"I wasn't looking for adorable," Rick said. She grabbed him by his belt and pulled him close.

"I meant sexy, I love a man with a beard."

"So is that why you fell in love with me?"

"I guess my secret is out," Michonne said. She gave him a kiss and then sneezed. They both laughed and then she went for another one, this time pulling his beard down, but not far enough because it snapped back in his face. They started laughing again. She tried again, this time pulling his beard down further.

"We better go down stairs before people wonder where we went." They came down the stairs and saw everyone dancing and having a good time, but they all stopped in their tracks at the sight of them and everyone was quiet, until Daryl said, "where did you find those hideous things," but he was secretly imagining that it was Carol in the Mrs. Clause costume instead. He smiled and looked down, trying to hide the fact that he was blushing. The kids were eating cookies in the kitchen, so they spoke freely. "I happen to think Mrs. Clause looks pretty hot," Tara said giving her two thumbs up.

Michonne smiled, "thank you Tara."

"Santa doesn't look to bad himself," Carol said winking at him. He smiled and blushed.

"Hey, he's all mine!" Michonne said wrapping her arms around him. Everyone laughed.

"Oh my gosh, you guys look great! Maggie said. I don't know how Enid and I missed those outfits."

"You two are the perfect ones to wear those," Enid agreed. Carl was next to Enid cracking up.

"Yeah, perfect." Rick gave him an angry glare and he stopped laughing and cleared his throat.

"Sorry dad." Rick broke into a laugh.

"I'm just messing with you son, I think I look ridiculous too."

"You look great Michonne," Morgan said.

"Thank you Morgan."

"And so do you Rick."

"Thanks."

"I agree, you both look amazing," Aaron said.

Maggie's son hid behind her leg. She knelt down.

"That's Santa clause. On Christmas he gives presents to all the good little boys and girls." "Presents? Yay Santa!" He ran up to Rick, and hugged his leg smiling up at him. Michonne and Rick smiled down at him. Rick and Michonne looked at Maggie. She smiled at them. Judith ran to him and hugged his other leg, nearly knocking him down. She was also smiling up at him now, not knowing it was her daddy.

"This is Mrs. Santa," Rick said.

Rick picked Maggie's son up, and Michonne picked Judith up. They didn't want her to pick up on the fact that it was her daddy.

Opening Presents

Carol put a couple of chairs in the middle of the floor. "We don't have a Christmas tree yet, but I figured the kids would want to open the presents now, since Mr. and Mrs. Clause are here," Carol said.

"That sounds good," Michonne and Rick agreed. It was a couple weeks ago that Maggie came up with the idea of celebrating Christmas for the kids and for themselves too. They really needed this and it would be the first Christmas they celebrated since all this kayos happened. They decided to go on runs to look for presents, taking shifts for watching the kids and always having their weapons close to them, since there were still walkers around and you never know who you might run into and if they'll be friendly. They decided to go further out to where they've never been before. They were lucky to find a mall and the stores still had some stuff in them.

They lay the presents around the chairs. Rick and Michonne sat down.

"Do you know Santa Michonne?" Judith asked.

"Yes I do. That's why I'm here to help him." They put down more chairs to form a circle.

Michonne would give Rick the presents, he would call out the names, and they would pick up there presents take it back to their seats and waited for the others to be passed out. They left the kid's presents by the chairs so they can open them with Santa. Rick really enjoyed this process because whenever Michonne's back was facing him and she bent down to pick up a present, he had a great view of her rear end and she knew it, so she bent down a little more each time. She had a little smirk on her face, knowing it must have been driving him crazy. He tried to ignore it, only giving a quick glace knowing that he was in front of everybody. Daryl was first. He tore into it like he was a little boy on Christmas. He threw the wrapper on the floor.

It was a new crossbow, but without the arrows. When the run for presents was done for that day they went back outside and got surrounded by walkers. When he was backing away from a walker he tripped on a rock, falling backwards onto the rock breaking the crossbow that was on his back. He stared at it in shock. He couldn't help but show a little smile and he had a twinkle in his eyes. He forgot to read who it came from in his excitement and he picked up the wrapper.

"Carol", he read. He looked at her and almost ran to her to give her a hug. He hugged her so tight she almost couldn't breathe, but she didn't mind, she loved his hugs.

"Thanks Carol. That's the second time you've brought this back to me, and this time brand new. It's a complete duplicate."

"I found it at the mall in a hunting store, the day after you broke it. I had to snatch it up before someone else did," she said sarcastically. "You know how it is around Christmas time," she smiled. He smiled and laughed a little.

Everyone else laughed too.

"I'm sorry I couldn't find any arrows, which is why you should open Ricks present next."

"Hey Rick, Michonne whispered for the kid's sake. Shouldn't you be here to receive Daryl's and the others thanks to you when they open your presents."

"Oh thank god. I can't wait to take this thing off."

"I wish I could come watch you, but I have to stay here, or Judith will wonder where I was running off to with Santa. I'll tell Daryl what's going on." Daryl spread the word and everyone waited. When Rick finally came back Michonne came running up to him laughing and whispered in his ear. "You have little bits of white fluff sticking to your beard." She pulled back with a serious expression and she looked at him.

"What?" Rick asked.

"Have you been making out with Santa behind my back?" Rick burst out laughing.

"I better get this fluff off of you before any of the kids see." She plucked them off with her fingers, trying not to pull Ricks real beard.

"Ow! That hurts," he said laughing.

"Sorry," she said kissing where she pulled. "Better?" She asked.

"Much better." He leaned in to kiss her when Judith came running up.

"Daddy!" Rick picked her up.

"Where have you been daddy?"

" I ate too many cookies, so I had to lie down for a minute."

"Those cookies are so good, I had three daddy!"

"Carol made them. Can you go say thank you." Judith nodded her head and Rick put her down and she ran over to where Carol sat. Carol picked her up and sat her on her lap.

"Are you having fun?"

"Yes! I wanted to thank you for your yummy cookies!"

"Well you are so welcome."

"Daddy ate too many, so he had to lie down. That's why he's been gone. You know who's gone now?" Judith asked.

"Who?"

"Santa."

"I'm sure he'll be back soon," Carol said.

"He probably ate too many cookies too," Judith said laughing. Carol smiled. She was sitting next to Maggie, who had her son on her lap. They shared a knowing smile.

"Hey Judith, you know who helped me with the cookies?"

"Who?"

"Your daddy and Daryl. Do you want to go say thank you to Daryl?"

"Yeah!" She jumped off Carol and ran to Daryl. He picked her up.

"So Judith, what's up?"

"Carol told me you helped make the cookies. I wanted to say thank you."

"Your welcome Judith." He gave her a kiss on the cheek and she gave him one too.

"Now go sit with your brother." She ran to Carl and he picked her up, put his hat on her, and it fell over her eyes. Carl and Enid laughed and Carl moved it back into place and smiled, as he remembered when Rick first gave him the hat and it fell over his eyes and Rick moved it back into place. Rick and Michonne took their seats.

"It's about damn time!" Daryl said.

He started to rip into his second gift, but started to slow down when he realized how fragile it was.

"How did you…"

"Morgan taught me how to carve some arrows," Rick said. "I asked him if

he could make them for me. Then he said he would teach me so that I can truly say it was from me." Daryl got up and gave Morgan a hug.

"Thank you.'

"Thank Rick, he did all the work."

"Thanks brother," he said giving him a hug.

"You're welcome. You deserve the whole package brother. I told Carol that I was having trouble finding a good gift for you and that's when she told me she couldn't find any arrows for you. Carol told me that Morgan knew how to carve wood, so she said I should talk to him. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't have known about Morgan, so really it was a group effort. That's what we do, right? Rick asked Daryl. That's what you told me along time ago."

"I remember," Daryl said.

"Come here boys," Carol said to the three of them and they all hugged. They all sat down. Tara opened one next. It was from Daryl. It was a cooler. She was wondering what she would need a cooler for.

"Thanks Daryl, I can put a lot of…"

"Open it," Daryl said. She did and there was an empty six pack of orange pop.

"How did you know and why this?"

"You wouldn't know this because you had already gone, but right before Denise died, she found a cooler in a car and she wanted it for an off chance that there might be some orange pop in there.

That was the source of our yelling at her, because a walker was in the car so she risked her life for the cooler. She opened it and there it was. One can. I hadn't even heard of the drink until Denise brought it up before I went on a run with Rick. She told me she heard you talking about it in your sleep and if we found any to bring it home. We found some, but the asshole turned family, Jesus had stolen our truck full of stuff including that and to make a long story short, it ended up in the bottom of the river. We kept the one Denise had, but Negan drank it when he came to take stuff from us. I wanted to kill him for it, but at the time he owned me as he put it, so I couldn't do anything or he would hurt or kill someone." His fists were clenched. She got up and walked over to him, putting a hand on each fist. He opened his hands again and she held them. He continued.

"After that she explained to us why it didn't matter that she risked her life and that it was worth taking a chance for you. She said that I was brave, strong and reminded her of her brother and she wanted me to come because I made her feel safe. I found this at a camping store and a cooler was sitting in one of the tents so I looked inside, and there it was. They were empty, but I knew you wouldn't want it for the drink, just a memento."

"Thank you so much Daryl. This means everything to me." She gave him a hug and she wiped away her tears.

"Your welcome, but there's something else I thought you should have." She looked in the cooler.

It was the keychain that Denise had when she died. She stared at it.

"You realize this says Dennis, her brother's name actually."

"I know. When Denise, Me, and Rosita went on the run to find medicine, she didn't know what she was getting herself into, and saw something that made her upset. When we went outside she was sitting on the ground holding this. We got to talking about her brother and I told her that I think we had the same brother because they were so alike. After she died, I found this on her and I decided to keep it to remember her by. Then when I heard about celebrating Christmas, I knew this would be perfect."

"Are you sure?" He grabbed her hand and put the keychain in it.

"It never belonged to me. It belongs to you."

"It is perfect, thank you Daryl." She gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. He smiled and looked down.

"Can you open my present now Daryl?" Tara asked. He opened it more carefully this time, beginning to realize what this was all about since he has never received one gift in his life until they decided to celebrate Christmas.

He wanted to savor it. He could see what it was and couldn't help it. He ripped it open he was so excited. It was a helmet and a leather jacket. He studied both of them carefully.

"I was having a lot of trouble finding something, but then I ran into a motorcycle store." Daryl got up and walked toward her as she continued talking.

"I know it's not as heartfelt as yours but…"

He pulled her into a hug before she could finish.

"Thank you so much Tara." She smiled.

"Your welcome Daryl." They pulled back from the hug and Daryl surprised her by putting his fist up before she can.

She laughed. "Cool."

Carol opened her present from Daryl. As soon as she saw it she began crying. She showed it to everyone and almost everyone was tearing up.

"Oh my god Daryl. It's so beautiful."

It was a necklace with the name Sophia on it. On the S there was an angel wing, and on the A there was another angel wing. There was a halo on the P. The wings and the halo had pink crystals and Sophia had clear crystals. She gave Daryl a hug. They parted. She saw a tear stream down his face. She wiped it away and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"It's perfect Daryl. Can you put it on me please?" She turned around, and he was fumbling a bit because he was shaking. He was filled with so many emotions between Sophia and how much he cared about her, and this very close moment with her. Carol reached up and put her hand on top of his, trying to calm him.

"It's ok Daryl." He finally got it and she turned around.

"How does it look?"

"It looks beautiful on you," he said with a small smile. Maggie jumped up and grabbed a small mirror she saw in the bathroom. She handed it to Carol. She started crying again. Daryl reached up and wiped her tears away. She put her hand on his.

"Thank you Daryl."

"I knew you would like it."

"I love it Daryl." Maggie gave her a hug, followed by Rick and Carl who knew Sophia. And then came the others Michonne, Morgan, Tara, Aaron, and Enid. Everyone who knew her well told the others about Sophia. Morgan had guessed that she had a daughter after they had their fight and he got details from Rick when he asked about her. Everyone settled back down. Carl opened his gift from Enid. He laughed and said "cool." It was a black sequin eye patch and a letter C pin with black crystals.

"I saw the eye patch first, and then when I saw the C pin, I thought it would look perfect on your hat." Carl hugged her and gave her a kiss.

"Thank you Enid."

"Now it's time for my gift to you." She opened it and there was a small black box. She opened it.

"It's a promise ring," Carl said. It had blue and purple stones going all the way around. "May I?" Carl put his hand out and Enid gave him the ring.

"I promise to love you for the rest of my life and when the time comes, I want this to be your wedding band. So Enid, will you accept this ring."

"Absolutely yes!" She said crying and laughing at the same time. He placed the ring on her finger. Everyone clapped and cheered as they kissed.

"Thank you Carl, it's beautiful." They kissed again. Carol opened her gift from Morgan. She laughed out loud. It was a cookie sheet and a bag of flour.

"What's so funny?" Morgan smiled.

"Rick Daryl, you know." Rick was already tearing up from laughing so hard, and Daryl said, "yeah, it's pretty funny" with a small rare laugh.

"Well, is somebody going to tell me?"

"Yeah sorry," Carol said. "I was preparing to bake cookies, but couldn't open the flour. Rick and Daryl come in…" Carol told the whole story and everyone was in hysterics. "So I had to use the second bag."

"Now what a coincidence," Morgan said laughing.

"Thank you Morgan. My cookie sheet was really looking bad and as you know, Rick and Michonne needed a new bag of flour, so this is a gift from you to them too." She got up to give him a hug followed by Rick and Michonne.

"And thank you for the laugh Carol," Morgan said. Everyone agreed and thanked her too.

"Well I couldn't have done it without these two."

"Then thank you guys too," Morgan said and everyone thanked them too. Michonne opened Carl's present to her and she started crying. Rick saw the present too and was on the verge of tears himself.

It was a necklace that said mom in big gold plated letters. She showed everyone.

"As far as I am concerned, you are my mom. And I'm sure Judith fills the same." Judith ran to Michonne.

"Mommy!" Michonne picked her up and put her on her lap.

"And you're my daughter," she said laughing and crying. She kissed her on the head and Judith kissed her on the cheek.

"And you are my son Carl," she said with a smile on her face.

"You're crying mommy. Are you sad?"

"No, I am very happy. That was the first time you called me mommy."

"Well you're my mommy now aren't you?" Michonne looked at Carl and Rick, who were smiling at her.

"Yes I am, in all the ways that count." Everyone was smiling and some were a little teary. Rick gave Michonne a kiss from where he sat and he wiped the tears from her face and she smiled. She put Judith down and gave Carl a hug.

"Thank you son."

"Your welcome mom." She gave him a kiss on the cheek and Judith gave her a hug. Michonne gestured for Rick to come over and so did Carl to Enid and they all hugged. "Carl can you please put it on me." He put it on her.

"It looks perfect mom." She showed Rick, Judith, and Enid.

"You've never looked more beautiful then you do now Michonne," Rick said. He gave her a kiss.

"It looks pretty mommy." Michonne knelt down.

"Not as pretty as you Judith." Michonne gave her a kiss on the cheek and a hug. They sat back down Judith on Michonne's lap again. Maggie came up to Michonne with the mirror.

"I love it. I love you, all of you. You gave me a new family." They all hugged again. Rick opened his gift from Carl. It was a gun cleaning kit and a new colt python.

"Wow, this is nice Carl. What's the catch?"

'Well, I was hoping that if I found you a new one, that I could have your old one," he said with a smile.

"Fine, on one condition," he said seriously. "We switch off every once in a while. I'm still going to miss the old one and I'm sure you would like using the new one."

"Hell yeah!"

"You've been around Daryl for too long."

"And that's supposed to be a bad thing," Daryl said. Everyone laughed.

"Thanks dad." He went to hug him.

"Your welcome son." Tara opened Maggie's gift. She smiled and started crying.

"Oh Maggie it's priceless." It was a gold picture frame with a picture of Glenn and Denise. She got up to hug Maggie and they were both crying. Tara gave the picture to Daryl so he could see and he got a little teary eyed at the sight of Denise and Glenn. Then he passed it down to Rick and he got a little emotional too, but not just because of Glenn. He will always be grateful to Denise for saving Carl's life. Everyone was crying by the time it got back to Tara again.

Everyone got up to hug Tara and Maggie.

"I've never seen this picture. When was it taken?"

"After you left Glenn had room on his camera for one last picture. He thought it would be a great idea to take a picture of him and Denise and then give it to you as a welcome home present. It was just missing a frame. Denise kept it in a drawer in their room for safe keeping. After that, I forgot about it. With everything that was going on, it was non stop. And then a couple weeks ago I got reminded when I came up with the idea of celebrating Christmas. When we were on the run for presents, I saw picture frames and then it hit me, the picture! Luckily it was still intact after Negan ransacked the place. Seeing the picture again after so long was wonderful, yet heart breaking, but at the same time was everything." She wiped her tears away and Tara hugged Maggie again.

"Your right Maggie, it's everything. Thank you so much."

"You're so welcome Tara. A last gift to you from Glenn and Denise." Enid asked Maggie to open her gift.

"Where did you find this?" She asked on the verge of tears. It was a necklace with Glenn's and their son's birthstones.

"I found it in the same jewelry store that Daryl found the necklace for Carol and Carl found the ring and the necklace for Michonne and me. It wasn't a birthstone necklace, but there were several of them each one different and I was hoping that I would find it and there it was, the very last one out of the five."

"Thank you Enid, it's beautiful. Can you put it on me please?"

Enid put it on her and Michonne grabbed the mirror once again.

"I love it Enid." They hugged.

"Will you please open mine now Enid."

"Where did you find this?"

The same place everyone found their jewelry. I saw a charm bracelet with a gold sparkly E out of about only five letters that were left and it also had different colored sparkly balloons on it. I took all of the balloons off of yours, except for the green one and I replaced the others with the green ones that were on the four bracelets that were left.

It's so pretty, thank you Maggie. They hugged and Maggie put it on Enid.

"Open mine Carl," Michonne said. It was a pair of new boots.

"These are so cool," he said with a big smile on his face.

"Well, it looked like you could use some new boots and I thought these ones looked similar to your dads, which I saw you admiring once." He practically knocked her over when he hugged her.

"Thank you mom."

"Those boots are going to look great on you," said Rick.

"Get over your self Rick," Michonne said with a smirk.

"Hey, just speaking the truth." He winked at Michonne. Carl and everyone laughed.

"You are going to look great in them," Enid said and gave Carl a kiss.

"Thanks Enid." Morgan opened Michonne's gift. He laughed out loud.

It was a box of protein bars.

"Michonne you know these must be extremely stale."

"You actually thought I expected you to eat those things," she said laughing. "I sort of just wanted to make up for stealing your protein bar. Yes, I admit it," Michonne said.

"To be honest, I already knew," Morgan said.

"Let me guess. Rick. Michonne gave Rick a glare. You're getting punished tonight," she whispered in his ear.

"I can't wait," he whispered in her ear.

"I saw these in a camping store and had to get them, stale or not."

"Well there perfect stale or not," Morgan said." I will display them proudly in my kitchen." They hugged.

"Try not to be too hard on him," Morgan said.

"Don't worry, I will be." They both laughed. Morgan opened Rick's gift. It was a new carving knife. The handle was ivory and it had three clear crystals.

"I noticed the one you were using was a bit rusty and I'm sure it takes you longer to carve using that one."

"Your right, it was taking me longer. This is very nice Rick. It must have cost you a lot of money," he said sarcastically.

"Yeah, it burnt a hole in my wallet." Everyone laughed. They hugged.

"Thanks Rick."

"Anytime Morgan." Michonne opened her present from Rick. She laughed and he smiled at her response.

"Oh Rick, this is priceless." It was a four pack of certs and a three pack of her favorite toothpaste.

"Well I felt like I owed you still."

"Now I'll always be fresh for you." She reached over, grabbed his face, and gave him a kiss. "Too much info guys," Carl said. Everyone laughed.

"Get a room," Daryl muttered jokingly.

"Yeah, yeah, alright whose next," Rick said.

Aaron opened his present from Daryl. It was like the license plate he lost when they got trapped by the wolfs, but smaller.

"This is brilliant, how did you find this."

"We passed a diner on the way back from the mall. I told everyone to stop, but it wasn't for what was on the inside. Five motorcycles were lined up outside, but it wasn't the motorcycles that caught my interest. It was the license plates, but one in particular, the Alaska one.

I hope you like it, even though it's a motorcycle one." He got up and gave Daryl a hug. Aaron pulled back from the hug, but had his hands on Daryl's arms.

"Daryl, this just makes it more special and rare. Its coming from you and its coming from something you love. Thank you Daryl."

"You're welcome." Aaron patted him on the shoulder twice.

"Open mine now," Aaron said.

"Hell yeah!" It was a pasta maker with a bottle of wine.

"I found that in a cooking store including the wine. It instantly reminded me of the dinner that you had with us and it made me smile, so I knew I had to get it."

"Thank you Aaron, I'll probably have to have Carol come over and teach me how to use it." He looked at her and smiled.

"Only if you make me dinner afterward," she said with a smile on her face. Daryl got up to shake hands with Carol.

"Deal," he reached out his hand and she grabbed it, pulling him toward her unexpectedly, making him slam into her.

"Oomph!" They both laughed. Everyone smiled and looked at each other. They all loved witnessing these little moments with Daryl and Carol, especially the ones who have known them the longest.

"Sorry Carol, are you ok?"

"I'm fine, I'm the one who pulled you in, I should be saying sorry." They were still holding hands. They looked at each other for a while, and then went back to their seats.

Rick and Michonne looked at each other and smiled. Daryl grabbed the wine.

"I want to make a toast."

"Don't forget to save some for our dinner."

"Don't worry I haven't forgotten about us." She smiled. Rick passed cups around. When he got to Carl he reached for the cup, but Rick pulled it away.

"Ah come on dad. It's the apocalypse, do the rules really apply to us anymore."

"Yeah come on dad," Daryl added. Everyone chimed in.

"Come on dad!" they all said.

"Alright, alright! Settle down, fine." He poured wine in all the cups, Judith and Maggie's son getting apple juice.

"I would like to make a toast to my family," Daryl said. "I would have never met any of you if this world didn't go to shit, so I am so thankful that it did. I would have never made it on my own. I was dead inside then Rick, Carol, Carl, little ass kicker…

"That's me, that's me," yelled Judith jumping up and down. Everyone laughed and she ran to Daryl and he put her on his lap. And I know Glenn's not here now, but he was one of the first ones to open me up too and I am closest to. Then the rest of you joined us and my family got bigger, so to my family, thank you for making me whole."

"I would like to make a toast too," said Rick. "To my children, you are my everything, and I don't know what I would do without you. To you Michonne, the love of my life, my soul mate. I wasn't expecting to find love again, but there you were standing behind the prison fences. Needless to say we didn't get along at first."

"Hell no!" Michonne said. Everyone laughed.

Carl said you were one of us and that was it. And a toast to the rest of my family, I started this journey alone, then Morgan found me and I don't think I would have survived without him. He told me what was going on. I would have let a walker walk right up to me and I would have died, if it weren't for him killing it. Then I left you and met Glenn. He saved my life too. He saved me from the walkers and introduced me to his family. Then I reunited with mine. It grew and kept on growing. To Daryl my brother, you saved me and my family countless times. We didn't get along at first, but you kept me alive, you kept my family alive. You were going to sacrifice yourself for me, Carl, and Michonne the night those men attacked us. That's when it was confirmed that you are more then my family; you are truly my brother, so thank you Daryl. Daryl raised his cup to Rick. "Thank you brother."

"To Carol, you saved us, twice. We would all be dead right now if you didn't save us at terminus, but first you saved us at the CDC and now there are only four of us remaining from there."

"Don't forget, Carol said that if it weren't for you putting the grenade in your pocket, I would have never found it. So I consider it a team effort."

"Thank you Carol."

"Thank you Rick."

"To Aaron, for inviting a crazy man into your home and not giving up on me, no matter how crazy I got."

"I knew you would show your true self eventually," Aaron said.

"He can't take the full blame," Carol said. "I didn't trust you just as much as Rick. I put my mask on to try and get some dirt on you and your family. Now you're our family. Thank you for taking us in."

"Water under the bridge Rick and Carol, were family now. Nothing can change that," Aaron said.

"To Maggie, thank you for being there for Lori and Carl. Thank you for bringing Judith into the world." Maggie started crying and Rick gave her a hug. They pulled apart still holding each other. "If it weren't for you, Judith would have died and I will forever be grateful for that." Carl got up to hug her too.

"Oh my gosh. Thank you for being there for me after Glenn, the both of you, all of you. I lost my whole family, but I had my extended family and I don't think I would have made it without you. Is it ok if I take over Rick?"

"Absolutely."

"Thank you. I want to make a toast to someone who isn't here anymore. Sasha." Almost everyone started crying. "She stepped up and said she would take me to the hilltop. Jesus helped me when I got there and now he's gone too. To Enid, I want to thank you Enid. You're like my little sister and have always been there for me. From the night in Alexandria when the walkers attacked to now, and I will always be grateful for you bringing Glenn back to me."

"Actually, he brought me back. I didn't want to, but he insisted and he needed my help to save you."

"It wasn't just that Enid. He wouldn't have left you behind, he wouldn't leave anyone behind. After that he loved you like a sister." They hugged.

"And I loved Glenn too, and you and your son." They wiped each others tears away. "And to everyone else who isn't here with us now, from the beginning, to most recent, we all miss you so much." The room went quiet and all you can here were the sounds of crying and everyone comforting each other. Carl stood up.

"I would like to make a toast. To the survivors, to my father and mom, thank you for keeping me alive. Thanks to all of you for keeping me alive. Thank you to Enid for making me happy in this horrible world. Thank you to Judith for also making me happy." Judith hopped off of Daryl's lap, ran to Carl, and gave him a hug.

"You make me happy too."

She ran back to Daryl. Carol stood up next.

"I felt alone after Sophia. Then after the farm got taken over by walkers and we got separated, Daryl saved my life and we rode away from the farm. I wasn't sure if anybody survived and that put things into perspective for me, that these people were my family too. I need these people in my life. So to all of you, my family," she said her voice cracking. "And you're ours," everyone said. They all raised their glass to her. Morgan got up.

"I was a mess after I lost my wife, but I still had my son. Then I lost him. After that Rick found me, but I was a different man then when we first met, I was broken. Then after you left, I found you again via Daryl and Aaron. Thank you for leading me back to Rick." "Thank you for saving us," Aaron said.

"Yeah, thanks man," Daryl said.

"I had to. All life was precious, but at the time, little did I know that it was so much more then saving a couple of men. I was saving my family, so you are very welcome. When I found you Rick, you looked like you weren't all there.

You weren't the same. I was back to my normal self, but different thanks to my friend Eastman. Then I left again when I searched for Carol with you and then we separated and I searched on my own. We met up again at the kingdom. We separated and then we met again, along with Carol and the kingdom to fight Negan. I will never leave my family again. To Carol, for not killing me."

"You're welcome." Everyone laughed.

"If you had, then we wouldn't have become the friends and family we are now."

"I'm sorry for saying I should have killed you," Carol said. I meant it at the time, but now I can't believe I even considered it."

"I am sorry I knocked you out Carol."

"Knocked me out, she laughs, you picked me up, and threw me on the ground."

"A move I will always regret."

"I forgave you a long time ago. I was just messing with you."

"I know." She got up to give him a hug.

"It's so funny how this world has brought strangers together. It seems that most of us didn't get along at first, but now are family and can't imagine their lives without each other. I can't imagine my life without any of you in it." Rick stood up again.

"To our family that is here, and to our family that can't be here and a toast to the world going to shit because if it hadn't, we wouldn't be here right now, together, with family." Everyone raised their cups.

"To family, and the world going to shit," they all said.

Everyone had held off on drinking till the very end.

"Wow, this is really good!" Carl said. Rick, Michonne, and everyone else laughed.

"That was a completely different reaction from the one at the CDC," Rick said. Daryl and Carol laughed, remembering that day too. Then Rick told everybody about his first reaction and everyone else laughed too.

"Only four of those people who sat at that table are still alive." The four of them did a separate toast.

"They will never be forgotten," Daryl said.

"None of the people we lost will," Carol said.

"To the first ones in our extended family," Carl said. They raised their cups.

"To the first ones," they came together in a group hug.

"Ok let's get back to the presents," Rick said. Morgan opened his gift from Carol. He smiled and laughed. It was a book. The title was The Unlikely Friends.

"I found this book at the kingdom. And after we started getting along, I decided to read it and it sounded just like us. Two people, with two different opinions, somehow come together to finally agree and become unlikely friends. So when we were looking for presents, I asked if we can stop by what was left of the kingdom after the war and I was hoping that it wasn't torn apart, but there it was. So I had to get it for you."

"Thank you Carol, I look forward to reading it." He gave her a hug. Rick opened his present from Daryl. He laughed out loud. It was a CD of Ronnie Dawson, the singer that was on the CD mix that Rick played in the car.

"I thought you would like it."

"I do. I'll think of you every time I play it."

"Yeah, well just make sure I'm not anywhere around when you play it."

"Oh, ok then, I'll be sure to play it loud enough so you can hear it no matter where you are," he said with a big smile on his face.

"Smartass," Daryl said. He got up and forced Daryl into a hug.

"Don't worry bro, I won't torture you again."

"Gee thanks bro," he says sarcastically, but his annoyed face disappears, and is replaced with a small smile. He could never stay mad at Rick for long. Rick opened Michonne's gift. It was a mahogany leather holster, with black stitching detail. There was a special detail added on. A letter R stitched into it.

"I stitched the R in myself."

"I didn't know you could stitch."

"I have many talents you don't know about," she said with a smirk. Rick smiled at her. "Behave yourself Michonne. I love it, and I love you, thank you Michonne." He leaned over and gave her a kiss. He whispered in her ear.

"Maybe you can show me some of those talents when I thank you later."

She laughed and whispered in his ear.

"Do you have any special talents I should know about?" He was about to whisper something to her, but Carol interrupted.

"Ok, ok you two."

She lowered her voice, "it's time for Rick to leave, if you know what I mean." Rick was reluctant having to leave Michonne and put on that damn Santa suit again.

"It's for the kids," he said to himself. Rick came back and took his seat next to Mrs. Clause.

"Hey good looking," Michonne said.

"Yeah, yeah." Michonne grabbed his face and gave him a kiss.

Michonne gathered the kids presents and she threw Carl's last present in there too, a mischievous look on here face. Michonne gave Rick the first present.

"Judith."

"That's me!" She yelled. She jumped off of Daryl and ran to Santa. Rick picked her up and set her on his lap.

"So Judith, have you been a good little girl?"

"Yes I have." She wiggled her finger at him, signaling him to come closer.

He leaned down and she whispered in his ear. "But you should know that already daddy." "How did you know?" He whispered.

"I'm very smart daddy."

"Yes you are, but really how did you know?"

"Well for one thing, when Santa was gone you were here and when you were gone Santa was here. What made me know for sure though is that your eyes sparkle when you smile and I could still see the curls in your hair and I was even more sure, because mommy was Mrs. Clause. Don't worry, I won't tell Maggie's son."

"Good girl. Speaking of, here's your present."

"Thank you Santa," She laughed. She opened it really carefully.

"It's so pretty! I love it da… I mean Santa." She laughed at her mistake. "Thank you!" It was a sundress with bows on the shoulder and colorful butterflies all over it. There was also a charm bracelet with rainbow butterflies. The last thing was some new shoes. They were red Patton with a button closure and a blue butterfly on the side.

"Thank you Santa!"

"Don't thank me. Thank your daddy, mommy, and Carl. It's from them." He leaned down again and she whispered "thank you daddy" and gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. She got off his lap and ran to Carl.

"Thank you Carl." He picked her up and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She gave him a kiss on the cheek too and whispered, "daddy is Santa."

"What? Nah, really, are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Wow! That is so cool!" She ran to Michonne.

"Thank you mommy!"

"You're so welcome Judith," she said picking her up. She kissed her on the head.

"Oh and daddy's Santa," she whispered to Michonne.

"But how…"

"Your Mrs. Clause that was one reason, another reason was that daddy's eyes sparkle when he smiles."

"Yes they do," Michonne said.

"Don't tell Maggie's son." She jumped down and went to everyone telling them one by one that daddy was Santa and to not tell Maggie's son. Michonne handed Rick the next present.

"To Maggie's son, from mommy." He walked up and Rick picked him up.

"Santa!"

"I know you have been a good little boy." He reached up, pulled on his beard, and it snapped back in his face. Maggie's son laughed out loud.

"You're funny!" Maggie's son said.

"Your funny yourself." Rick tickled him, and he started laughing again. He opened the present, ripping the paper to shreds. A big smile crossed his face.

"Guitar!"

"It looked like a smaller version of the one Glenn used to play, so when I saw it I had to get it."

He gave Santa a hug. He leaped off his lap and ran to Maggie.

"Thank you mommy!" She picked him up and gave him a kiss.

"Your welcome son." He was barely settled when Santa called him up again.

"To Maggie's son, from Daryl." He walked to Santa again. He ripped this one open too. "Hat!" It looked just like the one Glenn used to wear.

" Can I help you put it on?" Rick asked.

He nodded his head. Once it was on, Rick was having trouble holding his emotions in. So were Maggie, Daryl, Carol, and Carl. He looked so much like Glenn. He hugged Santa, jumped off of him, and ran to Daryl, who picked him up.

"Thank you!" He kissed him on the cheek.

"You're welcome." Daryl gave him a kiss on the head. He ran back to Maggie.

"You look so much like your daddy. Why don't you play something for us?" He plucked the strings several times. Everyone clapped and he clapped too, looking very proud of himself. It was almost like he was there, between the hat, the guitar, and just his looks. "There's another present here for Judith."

"For me!"

"Yeah, get over here!" She ran to him.

"Get up here." He picked her up.

"Let's see, this one is from Daryl." It was a doll that looked just like her. She wore a pretty pink dress with a bow in the back and it had a lace trim. She also wore ruffle white socks and pink shoes with a bow on the toe.

"I love her! She's beautiful." She ran to Daryl and leaped onto his lap.

"Oomph!"

"Thank you!"

"You're so welcome. She reminded me of you, so I had to get her."

"There's one more here," Michonne said with a big smile on her face.

"To Carl, from dad. Get over here Carl."

"No way da… Ow!" Enid gave him a hard nudge to the side with her elbow before he could blow it for Maggie's son.

"Come on Santa, I'm a little too old to be sitting on Santa's lap."

"He's going to break Santas lap mommy," Maggie's son said. Everyone laughed. Rick patted his leg.

"Fine," he walked over and sat on his lap with his legs lying across his lap.

"Ok, let's get this over with old man." Everyone laughed.

"Here!" He shoved the present at him.

"Thanks Santa," he said sarcastically. He opened it and had a shocked expression.

He leaned in and whispered "are you sure dad." It was his new colt python.

"I know you gave this to me as a gift and I appreciate and like it, but not as much as my old one. Borrowing just isn't going to be enough for me. I hope you don't mind if I take back my old gun."

"I love this new one, thanks dad."

"When I was getting changed again, on the way there I wrapped your present." They hugged where they sat. He got off his lap and went back to Enid, who was laughing.

"Ha, ha."

"Oh come on, you know it's funny."

"Yeah ok, a little."

"A lot," Enid said.

"Ok, a lot." They kissed.

Mistletoe

Rick was happy to be rid of that Santa suit and was happy to be walking hand in hand with Judith.

"I'm so happy your going to stay now daddy. I like Santa, but I love my daddy."

"I love you too Judith." He stopped and looked up.

"What's wrong daddy? What's that?"

"That is called mistletoe. If you're under it with someone, then the two people have to kiss." Rick looks down to see Judith's eyes closed, hands behind her back, and lips puckered up for a kiss. He smiled, reached down, and picked her up startling her because she still had her eyes closed. She yelled out a little before she started laughing, as Rick lifted her up high in the air and then let her down slowly to give her a peck on the lips. He brought her back up fast, getting another yell and laugh out of her and then brought her back down for one more kiss.

"How was that?"

"It was fun! I loved it! Not as much as I love you though daddy."

"I love you more."

"No I do!"

"Ok, you win."

Putting Up The Tree

Rick and Daryl practically knock the door off its hinges coming through the door with the 10' ft. tree, making everyone jump at the loud bang it made. Daryl was going backwards with it and bumped into Carol before she could move out of the way. "Sorry," they both said at the same time. "No problem," Daryl said looking behind him and suddenly they were only inches apart. They stood there staring at each other. Then Rick called out his name. He didn't budge.

"Tree!"

"What?" He asked in a low voice focused on Carol. Rick whistled.

"Daryl! Tree!" Daryl faced Rick again.

"Oh yeah, tree. Sorry Rick." He took one last look at Carol, who smiled at him and then he moved on. They put the tree in the living room. The ornaments tinsel, and lights were on the couch. Everyone helped. Rick and Michonne put the lights on the tree. Judith and Maggie's son were supposed to put the tinsel on the tree with the help of Carol, Daryl, and Maggie, but instead of it ending up on the tree, the kids took the tensile by each end and turned in circles around Daryl and Carol, laughing while doing so until they were wrapped up tight, once again inches from each other, but this time they were face to face. "Hello again," Carol laughed.

"Hey Carol." Maggie and the kids were looking at them. Maggie knelt down.

"Good job kids!" She gave them a high five.

"Really, you were all in on this," Daryl said.

"Well I talked the kids into it. Not that it was hard; they couldn't wait to do it."

"No more cookies for you."

"Don't punish the kids, I told them to do it."

"I wasn't talking about the kids."

"Hey!" Maggie said. Daryl held in a laugh.

"What's so funny?" Maggie asked.

"Nothing," Daryl said. Carol smiled at him. She couldn't help it. He looked so cute, all tied up, helpless trying to hold in a laugh and hide it after he got caught.

"I'm going to leave you two here for a while. Have fun!"

"No! No! Maggie, come back!"

"Ok, we can do this, Daryl said. We just need to get to the others so they can untangle us without breaking the tinsel."

"On three we'll jump to them, Carol said. One, two, three." They started jumping, but didn't get too far before they fell to the floor with a bang. Carol knocked her forehead with Daryl's.

"Ow! Sorry," they both said at the same time, .and then laughed.

"Are you ok?" Daryl asked.

"Yeah, you?"

"Yeah. What now?" Daryl asked.

"I don't know, I'm pretty comfortable," Carol said. "You?"

"I'm good." They inched closer and was about to kiss, when Maggie came in.

"Did they escape," Maggie wondered.

"Were down here," Carol said. Maggie started laughing. They looked up at her seriously.

"Sorry. Let me help you out there." She started to untangle them.

"Ok, all done." They didn't want to move because they were still in the moment of almost kissing.

"I'm done, you can get up now." They got up fast.

"Thank you," Carol said.

"It's about time," Daryl said.

"You know you both enjoyed it." They looked at each other with little smiles, feeling like teenagers who got caught doing something. They all put the tinsel on successfully.

Tara, Morgan, Aaron, Carl, and the kids helped with the ornaments. They needed a latter for the tallest part of the tree. Tara got up to the top of the latter, but was still having trouble reaching the top.

"Almost got it. Hell yeah!" In her excitement she started to loose her balance. All three of them stepped forward to catch her. They caught her, Carl in the middle and the other two on either side.

"I think I would be very excited right now if I weren't a lesbian. This is probably every girls dream." They put her down and she gave them all a hug. They finished putting the decorations up, then it was time for the star. Everyone headed into the living room.

Mistletoe

Rick and Carol were lagging behind, too into their current conversation about who was more sorry for their mistakes toward each other to notice they had stopped under the mistletoe. Everyone else managed to pass it up. They both looked up.

"Do you want to?" Rick asked.

"I can't believe this?"

"What?"

"I ran into one of these things with Morgan earlier."

"Really," Rick laughed.

"Alright alright, that's enough lets get this over with."

He grabbed her forcefully around the waist and pulled her closer, trying to loosen her up and get a laugh out of her. It worked. She started laughing, resting her head on his shoulder to calm herself.

"Ok, I'm ready." They leaned in slowly, and gave each other a short kiss on the lips, just as Daryl and Michonne walked in wondering what was taking them so long. They stopped kissing, but Rick was still holding her.

"Are you cheating on me Rick?" Michonne said with a smile on her face. Daryl stood next to Michonne, fuming.

"Daryl, don't look at us like that," Rick said." You know I love Michonne."

"You know were just friends," Carol said. Michonne walks up to Rick and Carol.

"Come on you love birds," Michonne says sarcastically "time to put the star on the tree." "I think I'll take my man now Carol," she says smiling at her.

"He's all yours." They both start laughing, as Michonne grabs Ricks hand and they head to the living room. Rick and Michonne smile at Daryl on the way out, Rick patting him on the back.

"Come on brother." Daryl can't help but smile and he completely softens up again, when Carol takes him by the arm and leads him out.

"You didn't really think Rick and I liked each other did you?"

"No, it just caught me by surprise is all."

'Like when you saw me and Morgan."

"You saw that?" Daryl asked, blushing a little.

"Yes I did. Morgan pointed it out for me. You weren't jealous were you?" She asked jokingly.

"No, not at all."

"Good, because there's only you."

"Stop."

The Miracle

"Who wants to put on the star?" Rick asked.

"I want to! I want to!" Judith yelled jumping up and down.

"Ok Judith." Judith ran to Rick and he picked her up. They climbed the latter and put the star up. Everyone clapped. She clapped too. They closed the curtains.

"On three, Rick said. 1! 2! 3!" The lights went on and everyone gasped and some were crying. A bright light filled the room, but it wasn't the Christmas tree that had them gasping and crying and the bright light wasn't coming from the tree. It came from the man who was standing in front of the tree.

"Am I seeing things or is that …" Maggie asked tearing up. She was standing next to Carol.

"It is. I see him too," Carol said also tearing up. "It's Glenn."

"Glenn!" She ran to him but stopped only a few inches away.

"Is it really you?"

"Yes Maggie, it's me." She reached up slowly and touched his face. To her surprise she was able to touch him. She leaped into his arms crying.

"Oh Glenn, I've missed you so much."

"I told you I would find you," he whispered in her ear.

"Yes you did," she said laughing. They slowly pulled away still holding onto each other. She put one hand on his face and he touched her face too. She closed her eyes at his touch and a tear streamed down her cheek. She was afraid to open her eyes. Afraid that he would be gone, but she opened her eyes and he was still there. He wiped away her tear. She put her other hand on the back of his head and slowly pulled him in for a kiss. The kiss was slow and sweet. They pulled apart slowly staring into each others eyes for a few moments. "Hows Beth and daddy?"

"They are happy. Hershel is like a grandpa to all the kids and Beth is like a big sister." Maggie started crying and Glenn wiped her tears away.

"Mommy, mommy!" Maggie picked him up.

"This is your daddy."

"He came from heaven?"

'Yes."

"Daddy?" He reached out his arms and Glenn took him in his arms and spun him around as they both laughed. He raised him up in the air, brought him back down slowly, and gave him a kiss on the head and then the cheek.

"You're perfect."

"He looks so much like you Glenn."

"I see you got a hat for Christmas, which looks like the one that I used to wear."

"I look like you daddy. Daryl got it for me." He looked at Daryl, who had his head down.

"It was a great gift," Glenn said. He looked at Daryl again, but he still had his head down. "Mommy got me a guitar like the one you used to play Daddy! Do you want to hear me play?"

"I would love to!" He ran to get his guitar.

"I don't have a lot of time. I need to speak to the rest of my family when he's done playing, I'm sorry." She put her hands on his face.

"Don't apologize. I understand." She gave him a kiss and they smiled at each other. He came running back and Glenn knelt down on one knee and patted his leg. He sat down on his leg and plucked the strings three times. Everyone cheered and clapped.

"It was perfect son." He felt himself getting emotional knowing he couldn't stay.

Maggie knelt down and the three of them hugged, Maggie and Glenn crying.

"Don't cry mommy and daddy. You're here now even if you have to go back to heaven." Everyone was crying now.

"I know, but I just wish he could stay."

"I wish I could stay too."

"I know daddy, but heavens your home and you belong with the angels now." There wasn't a dry eye in the house.

"Yeah, that's right son."

"I love you daddy."

"I love you more son." They held each other tight.

"Now before I go, I have to say goodbye to the rest of my family now." He walked toward Daryl. He lowered his head, not able to look him in the eye.

"Daryl." He kept his head down. He grabbed his chin and pushed his head up. He had tears in his eyes.

"Hey, it wasn't your fault Daryl." He couldn't hold it back anymore and he put his head back down and cried shaking his head.

"You're wrong, it was my fault."

"Hey Daryl, listen to me." He grabbed one of his hands. "Daryl look at me please." He looked up slowly. "The dead guy is never wrong, ok." Everyone laughed. He nodded his head. "You need to forgive yourself or I will come back down here, find some scissors, and cut your hair off in your sleep." Everyone laughed and Daryl smiled.

"How's Merle, Is he up there too?" Glenn laughed.

"Yes, believe it or not." Everyone laughed. "The last good thing he did is what saved him. Letting Michonne go and then trying to kill the governor before he could get to Daryl and the others at the prison. Yes Daryl, he is in heaven." Daryl smiled. "You deserve to be happy Daryl." He hugged Daryl and Daryl hugged him tightly. 'Like I said Daryl, you deserve to be happy. This brings me to Carol. You deserve some happiness too."

"Oh yeah, Do I?"

"Yes you do. Remember the dead mans always right. Carol, it wasn't your fault either. Why do you blame yourself? You weren't even there." She started crying and he grabbed her hands.

"I wasn't there. I left for my own selfish reasons and if I were here …"

"You could have died too and then there would just be another person for everyone to mourn."

"No, I could have died in your place. I could have pushed him till he would have killed me. Then you still might be alive."

"Or, Glenn said he would have killed someone else as punishment to you."

"Like he did to me when I punched him and then he killed you," Daryl said.

"Remember what I told you Daryl, chop, chop," Glenn said with a smile on his face, making his fingers move like scissors. Daryl smiled. "I need everyone to hear this," Glenn said. "It was nobody's fault. Stop blaming yourselves or I will haunt you forever. Am I clear?"

Everyone laughed and said "yeah."

"Good."

"Glenn, is Sophia ok?" He smiled.

"She's perfect Carol. She's happy." Carol started crying again then smiled.

"I thought you would be happy to know that Lizzie, Mika, and Sam are together, along with Dwayne too Morgan." Morgan smiled and started crying.

"Thank you Glenn," Morgan said.

"There's also your niece, Megan Tara"

"Thank you."

"The other kids from the prison are there too." Michonne spoke up.

"I know you didn't know him but …"

"Andre is ok and very happy. The kids are playing with him and watching over him." She starts crying and Rick grabs her hand and gives her a kiss on the head.

"They are having so much fun up there. Thank you Carol for saving my life at terminus. They were about to hit me in the back of the head with a bat of all things and slit my throat. I thank you because you gave me more time with Maggie and the rest of my family." He hugged her and kissed her on the side of the head. He held her hands, "and now about that happiness." He let go of one of her hands, grabbed Daryl's hand, and brought both of their hands together. Daryl and Carol looked down at their joined hands and then at each other. They smiled. "You guys belong together and I think everyone in this room agrees with me." Everyone said "yes" in agreement. "I knew you two for a long time and I could see it building up between you two slowly but surely. Don't take this life for granted. It's too late for me, but not for you. You two deserve happiness, but you can only find it with each other." They looked at each other.

"So what do you say? You want to give this a try?" Asked Carol.

"Hell yeah!" Everyone laughed. They hugged each other and then pulled away slowly. The room went quiet, knowing what was coming next. Daryl and Carol looked at each other and smiled. They slowly leaned in until their lips met. It was slow and sweet. Everyone clapped and cheered. They held each other tighter and the kiss got more intense. They broke out of the kiss laughing. They put a hand on each others face and leaned forward till their foreheads were touching. Carol saw tears in Daryl's eyes and one streaked down his face and she wiped it away. Between his family and now Carol, he was overwhelmed. He has never felt this much love before.

"I love you Carol."

"I love you too Daryl Dixon." Everyone came over to congratulate them and give them hugs.

"It's about time!" Rick said giving them both a hug. Tara gave them both hugs and fist bumps.

"Those won't be the only things bumping tonight."

"Tara!" Carol yelled.

Daryl started laughing out of embarrassment and Carol slapped him on the arm playfully. "You know it's true," Tara said. Tara winked at them as she laughed and walked away.

Glenn laughed too and they bumped fists as she passed him. He moved to the next person.

"Carl, I watched you grow up and was happy to see that you didn't grow up to be like your dumbass dad." Glenn smiled over at Rick and Rick looks at Glenn and shakes his head.

"Oh no," Glenn brought his hands to his face. "Ok what did you do?" Carl gave Rick the ok to explain.

"So he decided that it would be smart to sneak into one of the vehicles that belong to Negan and get a ride to where Negan is. There were guns in the back."

"Yeah, and I grabbed a bigass one," he said laughing. His dad shot him a look and Enid hit him in the arm. Glenn laughed and gave Enid a high five.

"Go on Rick."

"Then when he got there he shot two of his men and when Negan showed up he showed him around and Carl won't tell me what happened there. He says it's too much, so I'll wait until he's ready. Negan brought him back and waited for me to come back."

"I had to, for you Glenn, for Abraham."

"No you didn't," Glenn said. "We wouldn't want that for you. We would have been devastated and severely pissed off if we saw you up there with us. All of us would. You weren't thinking about your sister or your father. Judith needs her big brother to be there for her. I have no dought that Rick would have been broken again and then he wouldn't be able to be there for Judith, Michonne, and the rest of his family."

"I never thought about that. I'm sorry dad."

"Its ok son, I'm just happy your still here." They hugged.

"Is Lori ok?" Rick and Carl asked.

"She is fine."

"Are you talking about my mommy in heaven?" Glenn picked her up.

"Yes we are. She misses you and Carl very much."

"I miss her too."

"So do I," Carl said walking up to Judith and Glenn and giving her a kiss on the cheek. "Now that I've seen you, I'll be sure to tell your mommy how you look like."

"Thank you," Judith said.

"You're welcome." He gave her a kiss on the cheek and she laughed. He put her down and she ran to Rick, who picked her up.

"How do they get along," Glenn asked Rick?

"She's always playing with him. She calls him her little brother, even though she knows that he's not. She wants a baby brother or sister so bad and I think were just about ready to give her one."

"I'm so happy for you two. Will you take care of our son for me Judith?"

"Yes, yes please!"

"Thank you Judith. Even the kids consider each other family."

"Glenn I know you said it's nobody's fault, but I need to say this so please let me," Rick said.

"Ok Rick."

"You saved me Glenn, but I couldn't save you. You say it was no ones fault, but I know it was mine because I convinced everyone to fight the saviors. There was no reason for it. They did nothing to us. And now your family's here and your not because of my bad choices."

"Now it's my turn Rick. It's not your fault Rick. I don't care what you say. You didn't force me or anyone else. We were all willing participants. I admit though, I was nervous. I had never killed a person before."

"I'm so sorry Glenn." He started tearing up.

"Don't Rick. You have nothing to be sorry about. You and Carl brought me to Maggie. I would have never met her if Carl hadn't gotten shot."

"Thanks a lot Glenn," Carl said in a sarcastic voice.

"That didn't come out right," Glenn said. Everyone laughed.

"If that didn't happen then Maggie and I would have never met because you wouldn't have had to be lead there by Otis. There would have been no reason to. I owe you a thank you Rick.

You saved me because you lead me to Maggie and because of that you also gave me my son so again, thank you Rick. You saved me mentally and emotionally." Glenn hugged Rick and they were both crying a little.

"Michonne I see it's been made official. I like your necklace Michonne. Congratulations."

"Thanks Glenn. Carl gave it to me."

"Michonne would have been devastated too if you had died. You have grown closer over the years and now your mother and son." Michonne was crying and Rick, Carl, and Judith came over to comfort her.

"I can't imagine my life without you now Carl. You can't be doing stupid stuff like that, we love you."

"I love you too," Carl said.

"You are now officially little dumb ass," Glenn said.

"Yes Sir," Carl said. They hugged.

"Be good."

"I will."

"Enid, my little sister."

"And you're my big brother," she said starting to cry. He hugged her.

"I've missed you so much," Enid said. "I wish I could have said goodbye to you." He kissed her on the forehead.

"You get to now and that's what matters." She smiled.

"Thank you for convincing me to go back to Alexandria, the only family I have left. And then you, Maggie, Carl, and the rest of your family came into my life and now I have your son too. He's wonderful Glenn."

" Thank you Enid." Maggie and their son came over and they had a group hug.

"Thank you Enid, for helping me to save Maggie."

"Look at what Maggie gave me." He laughed and got a little teary.

"Wow green balloons. Green balloons symbolize a lot for us now, doesn't it Enid."

"Yes it does. I still have the balloons and Maggie gave me your pocket watch. I carry it with me everywhere I go."

"I thought she should have it Glenn. The three of us became close before you died."

"I'm happy you gave it to her. So, is Carl treating you right?"

She laughed. "Yes, he's perfect. He makes me so happy. He gave me this promise ring." "Nice." He gave Carl a fist bump something that he picked up on by being friends with Tara.

"If you ever hurt her, I'll come down here and kick your ass." Carl and Enid laugh.

"Don't worry, I never would hurt her."

"Good." He took Carl's hat off, put it on his head, and ruffled his hair.

"Maybe I'll take back my threat to kick your ass and I'll cut your hair while you're sleeping instead, like Daryl." Daryl smirked at Carl and laughed a little. Carl smiled at him and rolled his eyes. He put Carl's hat back on top of his head. Glenn went up to Michonne. "Thank you for saving Ricks life when he was stuck in that tank and surrounded by walkers. I would have never met him, my son, my daughter, or any of these wonderful people who have become my family."

"Your welcome Michonne, I'm glad I saved him too.

He's a good man and I'm happy to have called him family." Rick hugged him.

"Same here brother."

"You deserve to be happy, you all do." Glenn gave Michonne a hug, kissed her on the head, and then whispered in her ear.

"You're pregnant." Michonne pulled back slowly.

"What?"

"You heard me." She started laughing and crying at the same time. Rick looked at her. "What is it Michonne? What did Glenn tell you?" She walked up to him and grabbed his hands. She looked into his eyes.

"I'm pregnant," she said grinning from ear to ear. Rick looked at Glenn and Glenn smiled and nodded his head. He looked at Michonne again.

"You're pregnant," he said in a low voice, a serious look on his face like he was in shock.

"Yes I'm pregnant," she said laughing. He couldn't hold his emotions in.

He yelled out. "You're Pregnant!" Both of them were laughing and crying as Rick picked her up and spun her around, giving her a kiss when he put her down. Everyone clapped and cheered and came up to congratulate them with hugs and kisses. Carl gave his dad a hug. "Another little brother or sister. I can't wait. You're going to be a great mom," Carl said.

"I agree," said Enid.

"Thank you." She gave them both a hug.

"I'm going to have a brother or sister!" Judith said. Carl picked her up.

"That's right Judith."

"Hurray!" Judith yelled raising her hands up and waving them around. Everyone laughed. Daryl and Carol came up to them hand in hand.

"We're so happy for you."

"Were happy for you too," Rick said.

"You look great together," Michonne said.

"Thank you."

"So when are we going to have another little asskicker around?" Rick asked. Daryl and Carol looked at each other and smiled.

"Slow it down Rick," Daryl said.

"Yeah, we haven't even had our first time yet," Carol said.

"Sorry, were just so excited for you."

"Its ok," Carol said. "We feel the same way about you guys." They all hugged. Michonne walked back to Glenn.

"So, Glenn."

"Yes Michonne."

"If you knew I was pregnant, then would you know if it's a boy or a girl?"

"I'm not god." Michonne and everyone else laughed.

"Sorry, I didn't mean … I …"

"It's ok Michonne, I'm joking."

"You mean you could …"

"Yes." Rick, Carl, Enid, Judith, and the others gathered around to hear. Glenn told her to close her eyes and relax. Rick held one hand and Carl held the other, while Glenn had his hand on her tummy and closed his eyes. It was so quiet you could hear a pin drop. He opened them back up with a big smile on his face and told Michonne to open her eyes.

"So what is it?" Glenn came closer and grabbed her hands.

"I am happy to announce that it is two girls."

"What? Twins?"

"That's right." She looked at Rick who had a big smile, tears streaming down his face. Michonne was crying too. They hugged and started laughing they were so happy. They kissed and everyone Cheered and clapped and it filled the room. Then everyone had another round of hugs.

"Three sisters!" Carl said. "I'm going to have my hands full as a big brother."

"And I'm a big sister!" Everyone laughed. Rick picked her up.

"Are you going to protect them and make sure they don't get into trouble?"

"Yes!"

"Good." He kissed her on the cheek and handed her to Michonne.

"You're going to be a wonderful sister."

"And you're going to be a wonderful mommy." She kissed her on the head and put her down. She went back to Glenn and gave him a big hug.

"Thank you Glenn."

"You got it. I know your going to be great parents because you already are." Rick came up to Glenn and hugged him.

"I thank you brother."

"No problem, but I think you guys did all the work." Tara walked to them.

"Way to go guys." She gives them both fist bumps.

"So Carl, you're going to be a big bro to three sisters. How do you feel?"

"I'm so excited! I can't wait to see them!"

"Enid I've seen you with Judith and you're great with her. She looks up to you just as much as anyone else, their going to love you."

"And I'm going to love them." Tara knelt down.

"Judith you're going to be a big sister to two sisters."

"Were going to have so much fun together!"

"Don't be too hard on them when they always want to hang around their big sister. They might get on your nerves sometimes."

"I'll just be a little hard on them."

"Sounds good." She gave her a hug.

"Fist bumps all around." Morgan came up and gave Rick and Michonne a hug.

"You deserve this Rick, the both of you do after all the both of you have been through since the beginning of this. You bringing this family together and you Michonne, helping him through the hard times, you're perfect for each other. Those girls are going to be lucky to have you guys as parents."

"Thank you Morgan," they both said and gave him a hug. He went up to Carl, Enid, and Judith.

"Speaking of them being lucky, Carl, their going to be lucky to have a big brother like you."

"Thanks Morgan."

"Enid all of a sudden you are going to be surrounded by kids who love you, Maggie and Glenn's son, Judith, and now the twins."

"I know. I can't believe it, from an only child, to feeling like I'm a big sister now."

"You are a big sister to me," Judith said. Enid picked her up and Judith laughed as Enid spun her around.

"Yes I am." Morgan hugged all three of them.

Morgan reached for Judith and Enid handed her to Morgan.

"Are you going to be a great big sister?"

"Yes I am!"

"I know you will." He hugged her. Maggie walked over to them. She grabbed ricks hand. Then she grabbed Michonne's.

"You're my family and I love you. I can't wait to watch these girls grow up like I have with Judith and Carl. I can't wait to see my son, Judith, and the girls playing together when they get old enough. You're going to be terrific parents to these girls." They hugged. She went to Carl, Enid, and Judith.

"I'm so happy you found each other Carl and Enid. I wish you both happiness and a long future together. You are going to be an amazing brother Carl. I know because you already are to Judith."

"Thank you."

"Enid, if nobody knew better they would think you and Judith were related, but you might as well be. You are with her so much. You'll be wonderful for these two girls."

"Thank you."

"Judith, you and my son get along great and have lots of fun together. You know to be gentle and understanding because he's younger then you. That's how I know you'll be a great big sister." She gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. Aaron walked up to them.

"I'm so happy were all here together now, Aaron said. Your babies will be surrounded by so much love."

"Thanks Aaron" they both said.

"We didn't see eye to eye at the beginning Aaron. I am so sorry for that," Rick said. "Aaron you're an amazing person and I wish I had realized that sooner."

"Me too," Michonne said. "You're just as good as Rick and I would have liked it if we could have been family from the start, but they say everything happens for a reason, so I'm just grateful for the way we are now."

"We couldn't agree more," Aaron and Rick said. They came together for a group hug.

"Carl, you are so young and you were already a great fighter when I met you. It was only after you and your family arrived, that I learned how to survive in this world. I would go out there to find people and I would have no choice but to kill walkers, but I wasn't even close to what all of you know how to do. Daryl was the first one to open up to me and taught me some things just by watching him. So I thank you and your family for teaching my family how to fight." He hugged Carl.

"Your welcome Aaron."

"You are going to be a great defender of your sisters. Judith is a good example of that." "I'm going to say to you what I said to my father about Michonne. You are one of us Aaron. You have been for a long time now." Carl hugged Aaron.

"Thank you," Aaron said.

"Judith, you are surrounded by so many strong people. When you get old enough to fight, you might be stronger then any of them." She hugged him.

"Whoa, you're already so strong! Thank you Judith. That was a big bear hug."

"Roarrrrr! I'm strong!" Everyone laughed.

"Yes you are." He kissed her on the head.

Glenn walked up to Tara. "Hey Tara."

"Hey Glenn. I'm so happy I got to say goodbye to you. The rest of our family didn't until now."

"I'm glad too Tara."

"You were my best friend Glenn. You saved me emotionally and mentally Glenn. I was willing to die in that prison, knowing what I had lost and what I had been a part of, but you found me and gave me a family, your family."

"You helped me find Maggie. That's when I truly knew who you were. You're a good person Tara, don't ever forget that."

"Your better Glenn."

"I won't argue with that." They hugged.

"How's Denise?"

"She's great. She doesn't have to wear her glasses anymore."

"I'm so happy to hear that. Look at what Maggie gave me." He smiled.

"I remember when Maggie took that picture. I told Denise that we could give it to you as a welcome home present. Little did we know that we would both be gone before you got back?"

"My two favorite people," Tara said. She started crying.

"Come here Tara." Glenn gave her a hug.

"I'm so sorry we had to leave you Tara." He tried to hold back his tears, but one streamed down his cheek. Tara wiped his away as one streamed down her face and he wiped hers away.

"I've missed you so much Glenn."

"I missed you too." He gave her a kiss on the forehead and they shared another hug and she kissed him on the cheek. Morgan came up to them.

"May I?"

"Yes you may," said Tara. Tara gave Glenn one last fist bump.

"You told me Dwayne was happy. Is Jenny ok too?"

"Yes she is fine. She loves playing with all the kids." He laughed.

"She loved kids. And Benjamin how is he?"

"He is fine too. He has taken it upon himself to become a big brother to Dwayne."

"I know he's doing a great job too because he took care of his brother."

"Thank you Morgan, for telling Rick what was going on, taking him into your home with your son, and teaching him how to fight walkers. Rick led me to Maggie and without you, I'm sure he would have died."

"Thank you Glenn for keeping him alive, we were the first living people to see each other. We've had our differences and we've been in and out of contact, but now were closer then ever." They hugged. Aaron walked up to Glenn.

"Thank you for accepting me and my family. There were only a few that accepted us and you were one of them."

"You earned it, so did your family. You became our family, my family and a loyal friend and fighter, so thank you Aaron." They hugged.

"Ok everybody. I'm sorry, but its time." Everyone gathered around to give him one last hug and say their final goodbyes. After that he walked up to Maggie and his son. They hugged and started crying.

"I'm so sorry I can't stay." They kissed and he kissed her on the forehead and then on one cheek and the other.

They hugged again and Maggie whispered in his ear, "Glenn I will find you."

"I'll be waiting," he whispered back in her ear. He put his hands on her cheeks. And she did the same to him.

"I love you Glenn."

"I love you too Maggie. And you!" He tickled his son and he broke out laughing. Then he picked him up and spun him around.

"I love you so much son."

"I love you too daddy. I will miss you daddy."

"I will miss you too son." He hugged him then gave him a kiss on the forehead and then on the cheek.

"I'll never forget you daddy."

"Thank you son and I'll never forget you. Take care of your mommy for me."

"I will." They came together for a group hug their son still in Glenn's arms. They stayed like that for a long while. Then Glenn faced everybody.

"I love you all so much," Glenn said.

"We all love you too." He blew Maggie a kiss and she pretended to catch it. He blew a kiss to his son and he blew one back.

"Now I leave you all with a special gift." Then they all watched him as the light surrounding him grew bigger and brighter and he slowly began to disappear with one last wave and a smile. Just as fast as he came he was now gone. The room was cold and dark with the absence of his warm light. The only light left was from the Christmas tree. Maggie's son can see something in the small opening in the curtain.

"Little white balls mommy!"

"Snow!" Judith yelled and kneeled on the couch next to Maggie's son.

"That's snow," Judith told him. Maggie pulled the curtains open, and knelt in-between the kids.

"This was daddy's gift to us, to all of us." She turned around to see everyone gathered around the couch to watch the snow. It made her tear up to see all of her family in front of her.

"Mommy, daddy it's snowing. Can I go outside and play please?" Judith asked. No one had proper winter clothes, but they didn't want Glenn's gift to go to waste.

"Yes you can."

"Yahhh! Maggie, can your son go out and play too?"

"Go have fun!"  
They both started jumping up and down and ran outside.

"Be careful!" Rick, Michonne, and Maggie yelled at the same time. They laughed. They followed them outside. Rick gave Michonne his jacket.

"Thank you Rick," she kissed him.

"What about you Rick?"

"You three are more important."

"It's a good thing Judith still fits in her old jacket," Michonne said.

"What do you say Carol?"

"I say we take advantage of Glenn's gift Mr. Dixon."

"Yes maim." They kissed and walked outside hand in hand. Aaron and Morgan held their arms up for Tara and she linked arms with both of them and they headed outside.

"Let's go," Carl said holding his hand out for Enid she smiled. Judith and Maggie's son stood in one place with there mouths open trying to catch the snow.

"Daryl, Daryl! Do you want to make snow angels with me and Maggie's son?"

"Heck yeah!" Carol loved seeing him like this. He was like a little boy and she knew that he would make a great father. The kids started laughing after he got up.

"Carol come here, you have to see this," Daryl said. She laughed out loud.

"That is hilarious." Daryl made a perfect snow angel, but there was a smaller snow angel right in the middle of that one. It came from his vest, making an imprint in the snow.

"It's perfect Daryl, just like you."

"Stop." He gave her a kiss. "Not as perfect as these little angels and my big one," Daryl said. He smiled at her and she gave him a kiss. Carol picked up Maggie's son and Daryl picked up Judith.

"Come on Michonne lets go play with the kids."

"I can't Rick. All I have to do is slip. I can't take a chance."

"I'm sorry Michonne. I just got caught up in the moment and wanted to take advantage of the moment with everyone so happy. I wanted you to get caught up in the moment with me. I'm already messing up aren't …" She put a hand on his cheek and smiled.

"Your doing great Rick." She gave him a kiss.

"Why don't you go and have fun with everybody. I'll be more then happy to just watch." "Are you sure?"

"Yes go on." She sat on the porch bench and Rick gave her a kiss.

"Stay warm."

"Don't worry, I will." Daryl came up the step as Rick was going down and they fist bumped each other. Daryl sat next to Michonne.

"Too much fun for you?" She smiled at him.

"Believe it or not, I'm actually having fun."

"Really?"

"Yeah really, I just need a little breather."

"So you're worried for your little ones right? And that's why you're not out there with the others."

"Your right. Don't tell me you have more maternal instincts then Rick."

"Why?"

"He wanted me to go out there and play with the kids and him. I reminded him why I couldn't and he apologized and said he just got caught up in the moment."

"I don't blame him," Daryl said. "Do you Michonne?"

"Absolutely not, he's right, Glenn's gift shouldn't go to waste," Michonne said.

"You know I never got one gift until this day," Daryl said.

"You mean Christmas?"

"Yeah. I'm not used to saying that, you know, Christmas. That was an amazing gift that Glenn gave me and the others. The gifts that I received, all of us received they weren't just knick- knacks or some shit like that, they were meaningful and came from the heart."

"So you're telling me that you never celebrated Christmas or birthdays."

"Nope never, not one gift before this day. No wait, I did receive one gift after this world went to shit."

"Yeah what?"

"My extended family." She smiled and put her hand on top of his.

"Me too." He put his other hand on top of hers and smiled.

"Do you want some coco to keep you warm?"

"Sure, thanks Daryl."

"Anytime." He walked toward the door, but stopped in his tracks when he got a snowball to the head. Michonne started laughing and he turned around to see who did it, but before he could see, he got a snowball to the face. Michonne laughed even harder when he turned to look at her and his face was covered with snow, including his goatee making him look like Santa.

"I'm sorry Daryl." She stopped laughing when he dragged his hand up his face and snow gathered in his hand.

"No don't!" He smirked at her.

"Ok fine." She took a deep breath.

Thank you D..." She stopped when she got a snowball to the face.

"Ha, now that's funny!"

"Ok, I deserved that." He walked up to her, took his rag out of his pocket, sat down, and wiped her face until all the snow was gone and her face was dry. She smiled.

"Thank you Daryl." He held her hands and kissed her on the cheek.

"Like I said anytime." He almost forgot about the person who threw the snowball at him. Carol was standing there admiring the way he was with Michonne. These were rare moments when he showed this side of himself.

"Sorry, but I have to go get my revenge!" He ran down the steps and stopped at the last one. Daryl and Carol were staring each other down. She started running.

"I'm coming for you Carol."

"We'll see if you can catch me." They ran around chasing each other until Daryl slipped and fell flat on his back.

"Daryl are you ok!"

"No, I think I hurt my back. Can you help me up please?"

"I'm not falling for that again Mr. Dixon."

"No really, I think I hurt myself."

"Alright she reached out her hand, but I'm going to kill you if …" He grabbed her hand and she yelled out as he pulled her down on top of him. She slapped him lightly.

"You little shit!"

"This looks familiar," he said as he smiled remembering the tinsel incident.

"Yeah, except we can get up, there's no tinsel tying us together." Daryl wraps his arms around her tight.

"Now I'm the tinsel."

"What do you say we pick up where we left off before Maggie interrupted us?" Carol asked.

"I'd say come here."

They were kissing when they got interrupted by Judith, Maggie's son, and Rick throwing snowballs at them while Carol buries her face in Daryl's chest. Daryl got up.

"Oh yeah Rick." They stared at each other for a while and then bent down slowly grabbing a handful of snow still looking at each other. The kids were laughing and Carol was watching intently with a smile on her face. They came back up fast, threw both of theirs at the same time, and hit each other in the face. They both started laughing when they saw each other because they both looked like Santa clause with the snow that ended up on Ricks beard and Daryl's goatee.

"I thought you were done with the Santa look Rick."

"Well, it looks like your trying out the look too."

"Looks like Carol doesn't have anything on her again," Daryl said.

"Yeah, but in this case its snow instead of flour," Rick said. "You thinking what I'm thinking," Rick said.

"Yeah," Daryl said with a smirk on his face. They both looked at Carol.

"Really, are we doing this again?" Carol asked. They smiled at each other and then back at Carol.

"Yeah," they both said at the same time then they threw the snowballs at her.

She laughed. "Three can play that game." They started running as she gathered snow in both hands and started chasing them. Rick slipped and fell on the snow. Daryl was going to fast and tripped over Rick, this time falling on top of him. Carol couldn't stop either and fell on top of the both of them.

"Ow!" Carol yelled.

"I'm not doing to great myself down here," Rick said.

"It's a little awkward with you here Rick," Daryl said. "You're sort of a third wheel."

"Ha, ha!" Rick said. Carol got off of Daryl, lay next to Rick, and she scooted over so Daryl could get off of Rick.

"I can't believe we ended up in this position again," Carol said.

"Why fix what's not broke," Daryl said.

"I agree," Rick said. They lay there in the snow. Tara, Aaron, Morgan, the kids, Carl, Enid, Maggie, and Michonne came over to make sure they were ok. Carl and Enid were holding hands and standing next to Rick.

"Are you guys o …" He stopped as Rick pulled him down, along with Enid since they were still holding hands.

"Ow!" Carl fell face first. Enid fell on top of Carl. This time, they both said ow.

"Are you guys ok?" Rick asked.

"Yeah, no thanks to you." Enid moved off of Carl and settled down next to him and he rolled on his back and they held hands again.

"It's a better view down here anyway," Carl said looking at Enid who gave him a smile and a kiss.

"I agree," said Daryl looking at Carol who gave him a kiss on the cheek. Daryl gave her a kiss. Maggie's son and Judith wanted to join in the fun too and Maggie's son did a flying leap onto Daryl.

"Oomph." Maggie's son laughed. Daryl started to tickle him and they were both laughing.

"Me too!" Judith said. Judith jumped onto Rick.

"Ow!"

"Sorry Daddy!" He held her tight.

"You're not going anywhere now." She wiggled and laughed as he held her down and tickled her.

Maggie took a deep breath, "why not." She lay down next to Carol.

"Morgan can you help me up?" Rick asked. "I really need to go to the bathroom."

"No."

"What?"

"Carol fell for it twice."

"Hey!" Carol yelled.

"Well it's true."

"Yeah, I know," she sighed.

"Seriously, I need to go."

"Fine, but if this is a trick my staff is going to have something to say about it later." "Whatever you say Morgan." He reached out his hand. Rick grabbed it with a smile on his face and mischief in his eyes. He pulled Morgan down on him.

"Ow! I can't believe I fell for that."

"What was it you were saying Morgan," Carol said. Rick and Carol were laughing. Carl and Enid scooted over to make room for Morgan and he rolled off of Rick.

"I owe you an apology Carol," Morgan said.

"No apology needed Morgan. I thought I wouldn't fall for it either, and twice! So I know how you feel."

"Sorry guys," Rick said.

"It's ok Rick," they said.

"Were all just trying to have fun," said Carol.

"Ok, I'm coming down too," Michonne said. Aaron helped her get on the ground next to Maggie.

"Thank you Aaron."

"Got to look out for you and the little ones." She smiled up at him.

"I guess your going to help me down too?" Tara asked Aaron.

"Sure."

"I was just joking, I could help myself down."

"Ok." She lay next to Michonne.

"How about you Aaron, you need my help?"

He laughed. "Why not." She grabbed his hand and on the way down he slipped, falling on top of Tara, their mouths touching briefly.

"Wow Aaron, I didn't know that kiss we shared made you go to the dark side. Did you forget I'm still a lesbian?"

He laughed. "If I weren't gay though, and you weren't a lesbian, you would be my first choice."

"Me too Aaron." They kissed each other on the cheek and he rolled off her to settle next to her. Tara turned to Michonne.

"So, how are the twins doing?" Tara looked at Michonne and smiled. Michonne was sleeping. "Michonne's asleep," she whispered to Aaron.

He looked over Tara to see Michonne. He smiled.

"Tiered mommy," he said.

"I'm going to pass it on till it gets to Rick," Tara said. She looked over Michonne to Maggie and pointed to Michonne. Maggie smiled.

"Pass it on," Tara said. It got passed down till it got to Rick. Judith was asleep on him. "Michonne's sleeping," Daryl whispered to Rick because not only was Judith asleep, but Maggie's son was asleep on Daryl too. Rick passed the word to Morgan, Morgan to Carl, and Carl to Enid.

"We should let her sleep," Rick said. "She needs the rest, even though it's going to start getting colder," said Rick.

"Just a little longer, Morgan said. It's so peaceful laying here with my family."

"Your right Morgan, it is peaceful, all of us together like this."

"I wish this night never had to end," said Daryl.

"It's not done yet," Carol whispered to Daryl, smirking at him. He smiled. After a while it started to get colder and it was time to go in. Rick and Daryl slowly got up, not wanting to wake the kids. Rick handed Judith to Carol and gave Judith a kiss on the head and whispered goodnight. Rick put his hand on top of Carol's hand and said thank you. She smiled.

"Good night Rick."

"Good night Carol." Daryl handed Maggie's son to her.

"Thank you Daryl." He nodded and smiled. He grabbed Carols other hand and they headed inside to put Judith to bed, while Rick picked Michonne up and carried her toward the house. With her eyes still closed, Michonne put her arms around Rick's neck. Rick gave her a kiss on the head and she smiled. When they got inside everyone was waiting for them.

"Goodnight everybody," Rick whispered "tonight was perfect." Everyone said thank you and goodnight and watched as they went upstairs.

"I don't want to leave you tonight," Daryl said.

"How about you come to my place for the night?" Carol asked.

"I think I have a better idea Carol. How about you move in with me. I never want to be without you again Carol."

"I would be more then happy to Mr. Dixon."

"I love you Carol."

"I love you too." They kissed.

"Do you want to spend the night Enid? I'm sure my parents wouldn't mind."

"I would love to." They kissed.

"Hey Morgan," Maggie said.

"Hey Maggie."

"No one should be alone tonight. Why don't you stay at my place Morgan?"

"Thank you Maggie."

"So what do you think Aaron, do you want to stay at my place?"

"Yes I would, thank you Tara."

"Sure, but don't get any ideas and sneak into my bed to make a move on me."

Aaron laughed. "I'll try my best."

"You could sleep in the bed with me if you want."

"Thanks Tara." They bumped fists.

"That's as close as we'll ever get to bumping each other," Aaron said and they both laughed as they walked out hand in hand. Rick carried Michonne into the bed room and carefully laid her down. She turned to her side. He climbed into bed next to her and wrapped his arm around her, resting his hand on her stomach. She smiled, her eyes still closed and put her hand on top of his, intertwining their fingers.

"I love you Rick." He gave her a kiss on the head.

"I love you too Michonne."

Notes: My daughter actually came up with the idea of bringing Glenn back and then I took it from there. I hope some parts of the story don't seem to drag on; I just really wanted to include everyone, so it takes a long time to finish one event. I also hope it's not overly fluffy. It's hard to imagine how everyone would act if Glenn really did come back. I also wanted to have people who don't normally interact on the show to have at least one moment together. Thanks for reading!


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